A Wondrous Place
by annegoddamn
Summary: Three years of peace and prosperity have come to an end, as a new enemy has targeted the Saiyans. A new set of challenges present themselves not just for Planet Vegeta's recovering population, but also Bulma's home planet, Earth. What will this entail for our heroes? Sequel to A Thrilling Chase.
1. Chapter 1

**A Wondrous Place**

 _Three years of peace and prosperity have come to an end, as a new enemy has targeted the Saiyans. A new set of challenges present themselves not just for Planet Vegeta's recovering population, but also Bulma's home planet, Earth. What will this entail for our heroes? Sequel to A Thrilling Chase._

Hey, we're back! I know I said there was going to be a longer hiatus, but I've gotten much further in the writing process than I thought that I would. I think we're just about ready to start posting this thing. Of course, if you have not read _A Thrilling Chase_ and its spinoff _Somebody's Got Your Back_ , then go do so. Story elements and characters that were established in that story are going to play a major part in this story, as well. Yes, I seriously can't believe that an AU based on a Disney film has gotten three installments, now.

I'm so excited for some of the things I have planned, and I hope you're all excited, too. As usual, all comments and feedback are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Previously in the Thrilling Chase Saga -_

 _Unwilling to be forced into courtship, the young Saiyan prince Vegeta ran away into the city, hoping to find his own fate there. He came across an Earthling named Bulma, trapped by her own circumstances of indentured servitude, unable to go to the planet she missed so much. Instantly drawn to each other, they promised to run away together, but were stopped by a kidnapping ploy hatched by the king's tenacious adviser Frieza. Bulma was sent to a distant planet, in search of a mythical artifact called a Dragon Ball: a small orb able to grant any three wishes that one desired. She came across one of her own, meeting the wish granter trapped inside of it - a Namekian named Piccolo. Still smitten by the prince she had met, she wished to become a Saiyan princess, herself, to win him over and live happily with him._

 _But not all went to plan. Frieza stole the Dragon Ball from her, wishing for himself to become emperor. Bulma's disguise was reversed, and she was exiled to Planet Namek. With help from the Grand Elder and his assistant, she went back to Planet Vegeta to put a stop to Frieza's reign once and for all. Piccolo was freed from his life of slavery, and the Saiyans were liberated from the tyrant's clutches. Bulma's hardest challenge came when facing Frieza, herself. Luckily, Vegeta came in just in time to put an end to him once and for all, transforming into the legendary Super Saiyan._

 _Since that day, the Saiyans had worked hard to rebuild, and Bulma helped orchestrate alliances with other planets to make it happen faster. She and Vegeta only grew closer with every day, and the young couple couldn't have been happierr. Meanwhile, Piccolo returned to Earth, to find his own purpose; he befriending a man named Son Goku, and had enjoyed a quiet life with his new family._

 _Our heroes enjoyed three years of peace and prosperity._

 _Until now..._

* * *

"In conclusion, gentlemen, I do believe that this alliance will prove to be plentiful for both of our peoples. Thank you very much for your time."

The man bowed in front of the council, standing with his hands behind his back. The councilmen were looking a little bored; the presentation marathon was starting to get a little stale, and many of their proposals felt the exact same.

King Vegeta shook his head, and glanced at the documents. "Thank you, Frites. We will take your proposal into consideration, at a later date. You are dismissed."

Frites nodded enthusiastically, and walked out of the room with a spring in his step. When he was out the door, everyone let out a collective sigh. They put away their papers, and leaned back in their chairs. None of them wanted to hear about another alliance for a while.

The king sighed. "I am going to take pity on all of us and call this meeting to a close. We can resume this discussion another day. All in favor?" Without hesitation, everyone said 'aye'. "Then this meeting is adjourned."

The councilmen stood from their seats and mingled with one another, before they continued with their day. The king ran a hand down his face, and rubbed his temples. "Nappa, next time I try to schedule something like this, blast me. That's an order."

Nappa let out a breathy laugh. "You don't have to ask."

The king chuckled, leaning his arm on the table. "I feel like there's something important, later today." He snapped his fingers. "What is it, what is it?"

"Aren't the prince and Bulma returning from Earth, tonight?"

"That's right! Yes, I remember that." He nodded. "With how long they've been absent, that boy better have proposed, by now."

The conversations were suddenly interrupted. A soldier ran into the room, pushing past everyone to approach the king. He bowed. "My liege, you must go to the bazaar right now!"

"Why? What's happened?"

"There's been another one, my liege!"

He looked up at the soldier, seeing his distress. His fatigue suddenly went away, and he stood up. "Take me to it now, soldier."

The street was shut off, from the public. Soldiers were standing guard, keeping the people from entering the scene. The king and a few others pushed through the crowd, to see what happened. Upon seeing their king, they briefly broke the barricade to let him in, quickly closing it afterwards before another could sneak in.

The king took a quick breath in, before exhaling and shaking his head. A Saiyan was lying face down on the pavement in a pool of his own blood. Scientists were standing above the corpse, taking samples from it and analyzing the situation. The king shut his eyes for a moment, before approaching them. The scientists turned around, and quickly bowed their heads.

The king huffed out a breath. "Anything, yet?"

"No, your majesty. Like all the others, we haven't found anything linking this to a culprit. No weapons, no fingerprints, no strand of DNA – it's incredibly clean. It has to be the same killer, though – the methods are too similar for this to be a coincidence."

"Have you identified the victim?"

One scientist ran up, when hearing that question, handing the king a folder. "It wasn't an elite, this time. Endame of Shiso: male, age 42. A troublemaker – arrested for three counts of assault and five count of assault with a deadly weapon."

"And there's nothing else connecting him to the other victims."

"Negative, your majesty."

The king cupped his chin in his hand. "Come back to the palace immediately, if you find anything new. Understand?"

"Of course, your majesty."

He left the scientists to continue their work. He saw Nappa looking over the scene, and motioned for him to join him, on the side. Nappa held his hand in his head, and sighed. "Nothing, yet?"

"Not a thing. We can't even say they're just targeting elites, anymore. We don't know who it is or why they're doing this." He put his hand on his chin, and stroked his beard with his finger.

"What do we do?"

"The only thing we can do is warn the people about what's going on."

Nappa glanced at him. "Vegeta, that might cause panic."

"Keeping everyone in the dark while this is going on will only delay the panic, and make it worse, in the long-term. This isn't random: the people deserve to know that there's a threat, and to be able to prepare for it, accordingly."

Nappa looked at him with a disbelieving look in his eyes, but nodded. "When do you want to make the decree?"

"Tonight. Wait until my son and Bulma return – they need to know this, as well."

* * *

As the vessel floated through the serenity of space, Bulma sat at a desk, fiddling around with some compounds. Her father had gotten stuck on a project, back on Earth, and was about to throw all of his research in the garbage. She swooped in just in time and took it off of his hands. He discovered this material while emptying his waste, and was immediately intrigued. It was a thick, glistening blue liquid. She could only do so much on the ship, but she was eager to return to Planet Vegeta to continue her research. Maybe this was an energy source, and making more of it would reduce environmental waste. Maybe it could be modeled into a durable metal or plastic. She only had the tiny bits of research her father had done, but her imagination was already running crazy.

Vegeta was leaning against the archway entrance with his arms crossed in front of his chest, watching her silently. He should have been a little bored by watching her messing around with the blue goo, but he truly wasn't. The way her eyes lit up as she examined it made what would have been a mundane sight worthwhile to see. He could watch it for hours and not be the slightest bit bored. He shook his head. He never thought that one person would ever have that kind of effect over him.

Eventually, she put away her supplies and compounds, safely tucking them into a capsule. She exhaled, set her arms onto the table, and laid her head down on top of them. She traced the wood of the table with her finger, mindlessly dragging it across the dark circles and spirals.

She smiled, as she felt a warm pair of arms wrap over her shoulders. Her head lulled to the side, while Vegeta nuzzled his face into her neck.

"You were staring," she teased, in a breathy voice. She was feeling completely at ease and relaxed.

"And?"

"Most girls find that creepy."

"Do you?"

She paused, and then shook her head. She giggled, as his nose brushed against a sensitive spot on her neck, and sighed. Over the past years, the young lovers had only grown closer. He had gone out of his way to make sure that she adjusted to living on Planet Vegeta. It was such a romantic idea – a man going out of his way to make sure that his woman was happy. She still thought she was insane for thinking that she could leave him.

"We're ready to land," he murmured.

She blinked, and sat up. "We are?"

"We've been ready for a half hour."

"A half hour?!" She turned around, with her eyes wide. She glared at him, when she saw the sly smirk on his face. "Jerk!" She hit his arm, and pushed herself out of her chair. "Were you planning on letting me know? Gah!"

Before she could leave for the control room, he came up behind her and grabbed her from around her waist. She squealed, as he picked her up and carried her out of the room. She kicked and playfully hit him, while she laughed. This playful side of him had come out a lot, recently. She honestly didn't think he had it in him.

Sometimes, she didn't think that it could get any better than this.

The door to the ship opened at the loading dock. Vegeta and Bulma exited the vessel and onto the runway. Bulma quickly made work of the ship, pressing a button on the side of it and quickly capsulating it.

"Hey, welcome back!" They looked down the runway. Raditz was running up from behind, waving his hand in the air. As soon as he reached them, he jumped and gave them both a big embrace. Vegeta ducked his head, not wanting to be touched, but Bulma gladly accepted it. He stepped back, when he saw Vegeta glaring at him. "So, how was the trip?"

"Oh, it was great," she said. "The treasuries approved those reduced taxes and tariffs we asked for. Some businesses have already started looking into bringing a branch to Planet Vegeta. That means more jobs and more opportunities for everyone!"

Raditz was nodding. "I have no idea what any of those words mean, but that sounds great."

She nudged Vegeta's shoulder. "You can thank this guy – he charmed the pants off of all of them."

"Is that right? I always knew you had it in you!" Raditz patted him on the shoulder, which he shrugged off, making Bulma laugh.

"Anything new to report," he asked.

"Hang on, let me thing." Raditz tapped his finger on his chin. "Oh, yeah: Nappa told me to tell you to meet with your father in his study. He said it was important."

Vegeta looked at Bulma. "We better go see him, then."

Raditz held his hands up. "He just asked just for you, Vegeta. He made sure I specify that."

"What? Why?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Probably some important announcement. He did say that everyone else will know, soon enough."

Bulma huffed. She was hoping for a nice afternoon together, on their first day back. She was hoping they wouldn't have to get back to work so soon. She supposed she'd have to get used to it – a royal's job was never done. "I'll head back to the room, then. You can meet me there, when you get done."

By the look in his eyes, he wasn't quite happy about this, either. She shook her head and squeezed his hand, reassuringly. "You worry too much. I'll be fine. Promise."

Something akin to resignation flashed in his eyes. "I'll meet you there."

She stood on her toes and kissed him quickly, before going down the runway back into the palace.

"Get a room, you disgusting pigs," Raditz yelled towards her. It was quickly followed by a yelp, when Vegeta whacked him upside the head.

* * *

Bulma lifted her head from her book, when she heard steps coming from the hallway. She smiled, as she set it down on the table. Looking at the clock, it had been nearly three hours since she had gotten back. Debriefing conversations normally didn't last that long. She was wondering what made them go on for so long.

The door slid open, and her smile faded. Vegeta did not look happy. He walked past her, without a glance, and stood in front of the window. His arms were crossed and his shoulders were tense. In the window's reflection, she saw that his eyes were closed.

She stood up and slowly walked next to him. She didn't want to do anything to set him off, by accident. As he kept his head down, she bit her bottom lip, trying to think of something to say.

"Turn on the radio," was all that he said.

She nodded, and walked over to the small set, sitting on the wall. She pressed the on-button, hearing static. After adjusting the dial settings, she heard the murmuring of a crowd, on the other end. Trumpets blared, and the crowd hushed. She pulled out a chair and sat down – it must have been an announcement from the king.

"Saiyans," the king spoke. "We, as a people, have been through much, over our long and tumultuous history: conflict, famine, slavery, war, near-extinction. And yet, no matter what, we have always pulled through, in the end. That tenacity is what makes us the proud warriors that we all are."

Where was the king going, with this speech? He had never been one to mull-over history like this, before.

"And… it seems as though our tenacity is being put to the test, once more.

"Over the course of the recent months, we have determined that there is an organized attack targeting Saiyans across all classes, regardless of their birth. There has been a recent series of murders throughout the city, and we have reason to suspect that they are connected. We have yet to name a suspect or a motivation, but it is my duty, as your king, to alert you and caution you to take the proper steps to protect yourselves."

Bulma lifted her hand to her mouth, and her eyes widened, in horror. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Someone was murdering innocent Saiyans. How could anyone have been so cruel, as to do so?

She looked back at Vegeta. His eyes were closed tightly, and his hands were gripping his biceps hard. She didn't have to ask why he was upset, anymore.

"We ask you all to remain calm for however long this will persist: panic will do nothing to help our predicament. We also request anyone turn in any and all useful information to our armed forces. Mark my works – we will get to the bottom of this, and I promise you that we will make it through these trials just as we have before."

Vegeta lowered his hands to his sides, and marched back out of the room. Bulma got back up and ran after him. "Hey! Vegeta!" She caught up with his steps. "Vegeta, please – talk to me. Where are you going?"

"This is none of your concern. Go back to our room."

She stepped out in front of him, stopping his forward motion. "Anything that's of your concern is my concern too, Vegeta. That's how relationships are supposed to work, in case you couldn't tell. Please, just tell me what you're doing."

He looked irritated. "I mean it, Bulma: leave me be." He stepped around her, leaving her standing in the middle of an empty hallway.

She almost sprinted after him, but stopped herself. He needed some time to cool down. He'd be ready to talk to her again, in the morning. With a sigh, she walked back to the room.


	2. Chapter 2

And we're back! Hope you all have had a fantastic week. It feels weird to be back to updating a story in this universe. Even though I just finished the spinoff, returning to Planet Vegeta has been a little weird. I dunno. Probably just me but whatever.

As usual, all comments and feedback are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Vegeta didn't return, that night. Bulma woke up in an empty bed. He was probably training himself to exhaustion, again; he always did this, when he was having problems. She hated it, but there was little she could do about it. If she tried to prod him to talk to her, it would only make things worse. She could only hope that he'd open up, soon enough.

Bulma had a meeting with the council, that morning. She was to brief them on all that had happened, during her visit to Earth. She understood why it was important, but she despised these meetings. This is why she never wanted to take over Capsule Corporation; she had no interest in long, slogging meetings: ones where some of the board members were actively trying to tick her off. But, this was part of the job, so she had to suck it up and get through it.

She made it to the meeting room, with a few minutes to spare. Most of the council members were here, but the king was missing. She took a seat, at the end of the table. Maybe he would show up, when it began. It was unusual, given his usual punctuality, but maybe he overslept, or something.

Soon, the rest of the council took their seats. Still, there was no sign of the king. Instead, Nappa was sitting at the end of the table.

"I now call this council meeting to order," he spoke. "I, Nappa of Onio, am proceeding in place of King Vegeta II. He is busy with diplomatic duties and is, therefore, unavailable to be present. All other members of the council are present, as well as our guest, Ambassador Bulma of Earth." He gestured towards her and nodded. "Bulma, you may proceed with your briefing."

She stood up, and took a deep breath. She pushed a few handouts to the side, outlining the briefing. "Gentlemen, my latest trip to Earth proved to be a success. The Earth leaders approved of the tax and tariff cuts we discussed. Within the upcoming months, it will be less costly for the people of Earth to buy exports from Planet Vegeta, increasing our presence in the market. In theory, this might encourage entrepreneurs to consider expanding their businesses to Planet Vegeta, creating more jobs and vitally diversifying our economy."

"How did you get them to agree to this," one of the councilmen asked.

"As you know, Prince Vegeta accompanied me on this trip." One of the councilmen snorted, which she ignored. "He spoke very eloquently and managed to convince the swing voters to vote 'yes'. Much of this can be credited to him, as well."

Nappa had a small smile on his face. "Is that all you have to report?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Alright. Good work as usual, Bulma. If anyone has any comments, now is the time to speak."

One councilman raised his hand. "Yes, I have a few."

"Then speak, Chini."

Chini propped his hands on the desk. "Now, Miss Bulma, will there be any measures taken to assure that Planet Vegeta's own will not be driven out by this new competition?"

"That will depend on the competition. As I mentioned, this is all based on possibilities and a bit of wishful thinking. Nothing is set in stone, yet. If the people have those fears, then we can always discuss methods of cultural preservation."

"Is that right?"

"I understand the importance of heritage and historical preservation – it is a big issue, back on Earth. Luckily, they have done much of the trial and error, already, so we shouldn't have as many issues as other peoples have, in the past."

"Ah, I understand. I suppose Earth has all the answers, doesn't it?"

Some of the councilmen sighed and groaned. They didn't want to hear one of his rants, again.

"That's not what I said," Bulma said, trying not to look visibly annoyed. He did this at every briefing. "Don't put words into my mouth."

"But it's not a valid concern, isn't it? Need I remind you that not even three years ago, our entire species was nearly wiped out? It's only natural to feel a bit weary of this."

"Of course. I understand and empathize with you, completely. But-"

"No, you don't. You're not a Saiyan. No matter how many elites you shag up with, you never will be."

"Chini, that's enough," Nappa said. "This is the third meeting in a row you have gone on this rant. Cut it out, or I'll have choice words for the king, when he returns."

Chini huffed. "Have it your way,"

"Now, does anyone have anything constructive to add?"

Thankfully, the remainder of the meeting went on without a hitch. They discussed what they should propose for the next time that Bulma returned to Earth, and managed to narrow it down to a few options. They would debate and vote on these when it was closer to Bulma's return. With another successful meeting finished, the council was adjourned.

Before she left, Bulma went up to Nappa. "Hey Nappa," she asked. "Can I speak to you, for a moment?"

"Of course."

They exited the meeting hall, going to stand in an empty hallway.

She glanced around, before she looked back up at him. "You know about the murders, right?"

He sighed. "Yes. What a pointless shame… Why?"

"Vegeta… he didn't take it well. He left the room, while the king was giving his speech, and he didn't come back for the rest of the night."

"I figured, as much. He nearly killed himself in training, when he thought you were executed. He likes to beat his emotions out of him."

"What should I do? I want him to be open and talk to him about it, but I don't want to push him. Last night, he just told me to leave him alone. I'm afraid if I try to pry, I might close him off more."

Nappa put his hands on his hips, and huffed. "I'll be honest, Bulma: I couldn't tell you what to do." He paused. "The best I can say is just be there for him. Don't prod – that's the right idea. But just be present. I think that'll be enough to get through, to him."

That was probably the best answer she was going to get. She nodded. "Okay. I'll try. Thanks, Nappa."

He smiled. "No problem, kiddo." He patted her shoulder, as he walked past her.

* * *

Bulma went back to the room, carrying a bit of food from the cafeteria. She intended to spend the rest of her afternoon in her room. She needed a bit of peace and quiet, after how long and nerve-wracking the council meeting was. She quietly slipped inside, and set her meal on the small coffee table. Intending to change into her home clothes, she walked into her room.

She sighed. Vegeta was face down on the bed, fast asleep. He must have been so tired; normally, if he were asleep, he'd be awake and alert, as soon as she walked in. She walked closer to the bed. His bodysuit wasn't tattered and there were only a few bruises on his skin. At least he wasn't overdoing his training.

She knelt down, next to the bed. Even in sleep, he looked tense. Very gently, she ran her fingers through his hair, softly massaging his scalp. His face began to relax, under her touch. She smiled and kissed his forehead.

The kiss was more forceful than she intended. His face flinched for a moment, before he slowly blinked his eyes open.

"Hey," she said, softly.

He grunted.

She reminded herself what Nappa said – be present. "Have you eaten? I can fix you up something. Okay?"

After a long pause, he nodded, and slowly began to sit up. She left the room and went to the small kitchenette. They only had a little food on standby, but she managed to fix it into something edible. She figured he might not be able to handle much food, anyway.

They ate in silence. Bulma nervously glanced at Vegeta. He kept his eyes on his plate the entire time. She wanted to say something to him, but she knew how much good that would do. No, she needed to be patient. If she just waited, he would open up to her, soon enough.

Once they were done, Bulma set the dishes in the sink. Vegeta sat in his chair the entire time, not looking at her. He still looked a little dazed; maybe he was tired. She didn't intend to wake him, earlier. He could probably use a bit more rest, but if she left him alone, he might go back to training.

An idea came to her. She managed to feign a yawn. "I'm going to go lie down, for a bit. Don't worry about the dishes – I'll get it done later. I'll see you in a few hours." She accented her speech with a few more yawns, for good measure.

She walked back into the bedroom and climbed in. She didn't fall asleep, as she wasn't very tired. She purposefully stared at the wall, keeping her eyes off of the door. However, she still listened closely, hoping her plan would work.

She pushed back a squeal and a victory dance, when the door opened, once again. She felt the mattress give way next to her, as the covers were shifted and pulled.

"You are an awful actress," he finally said.

She smiled, rolling over to face him. "And yet, here you are. All according to plan." She leaned her head on her pillow, as he lied on his back.

He closed his eyes, as he sunk into the mattress. "Brilliant. Maybe the generals should hire you for battle strategy."

She looked up, feigning thinking. "But that would mean less time here, wouldn't it? And I bet a certain prince wouldn't be too happy about that." She ran her hand down his arm, running it over his bicep.

"He'd get over it." He still didn't open his eye.

She sighed. "I don't think she would, though. I mean: imagine all the burly, rugged, dark, and handsome men serving in the army. All those years of experience? Oh my lord, how would she ever cope without him?"

Bulma felt Vegeta's tail curl around her waist, squeezing her tightly. He shifted onto his side, and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. "I guess we should make sure she won't worry about that."

She nestled her face into his shoulder, sighing in content. This was her favorite side of Vegeta – the soft, romantic one. It made her feel privileged to know that he wouldn't show it to anyone but her. She didn't think she would ever tire of it.

She looked up at him and frowned. He had a serious look on his face; she only saw it when he was deep in thought. He must have still been thinking about last night. She put her hand on her chest, feeling his heart beating beneath her fingertips. She didn't want to press her luck, but she still wished that he would talk to her about it. She remembered what Nappa told her, and lied there, quietly, gently caressing his chest.

"I apologize for running out, last night," he said. "I should have given you an answer."

She shook her head. "You don't have to apologize. I understand that you were upset." Her gaze dropped. "I was worried that you were going to hurt yourself, though."

He squeezed her, slightly. "Idiot. You know I wouldn't do that to myself."

"Not on purpose, maybe. I still don't want you to overdo it."

He huffed. "I cannot remain complacent. There's a threat out there that's killing innocent Saiyans one by one. I have to be the one to put an end to it. I made a vow to protect my people: I must uphold it.

"You won't be able to, if you kill yourself in every training session, either." She kissed his cheek. "Vegeta, I know how much you want to serve your race, and I respect that. But I hate seeing you, like this. You don't have to carry the weight of this, on your own. You saved us all, once, but back there, we had no other options. There are hundreds, no, thousands of others who are just as passionate to put this to an end as you are. Please, just let them help." She ran her hand down his face. "I don't want you to be a martyr."

"Gods, how did I end up with someone so neurotic," he muttered.

"It's not neurotic to care for someone else, Vegeta." She sighed. "Just promise me you'll be careful. Is that too much to ask?"

"Do you underestimate my control? I know when to stop. You're reprimanding me over nothing."

"I still worry. I know how you can get, when you're emotional."

His eyes narrowed. "Are you calling me irrational?"

"What? No, not at all."

He didn't respond. He turned over onto his other side, leaving his back facing her. His tail uncurled from her waist, and lied down onto the mattress.

She sighed, and wrapped her arms around his waist. She wouldn't let the discussion end on a bad note. "Vegeta, I only want to help you through this. This is tough for everyone. I know you have your pride and I don't want to step on that, at all. But I can't stand to see you, like this. Please, just let me help you. I can't do that if you don't tell me."

He sat there unmoving for several moments. She didn't move, either. She tightened her arms around him, to make that clear. She was putting her foot down. If she showed a little bit of force, then he might be willing to listen.

"The Legendary," he finally spoke. "I have yet to obtain it, again. If I can, I might be able to stop this. There could be power even beyond it."

She nodded. "Then let me help you."

He glanced behind his shoulder, at her. "How could you? You've stopped training."

"I mean it: just leave it to me. I might be able to come up with something."

He shrugged. "If you think you can…"

A smug smile forced on her face. "Don't underestimate me, either. I know that I can."

Suddenly, Bulma was flattened onto her back, with her hands pinned to the mattress. Vegeta was looming over her, with a wry smirk. "How could I have forgotten? I guess I need a little reminder."

Her eyes widened. She put her hands against his chest. There wasn't time for this, again. He was still tired, and needed rest. "Wait, Vegeta, you need to-"

"If you want me to roll over and sleep, just say so."

She shivered, hearing his low-voice. He rarely spoke to her in that tone; only in times like this. She groaned. "You are so unfair, you know…"

He chuckled. "You'll get over it." He leaned down and kissed her. Her eyes rolled back and she quickly responded. She supposed a few hours of this wouldn't be too much harm. There'd be plenty of time for rest, afterwards.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, early update, this week. This weekend's gonna be crazy busy, so I wanted to get this chapter posted before all of it goes down. I actually get to see Aladdin the Musical, on Saturday - the story that inspired these stories! I'm really excited! But thank you for all of the feedback and comments. Enjoy!

* * *

Right as Bulma had made a breakthrough, she was pulled from her room and into the lab. They had made a discovery during the autopsy and wanted her to look at it. They didn't understand what it meant, and thought that she might have an idea. She quickly scribbled down her plans before running out.

Bulma pulled back her curls, putting them into a ponytail. The head scientist turned and nodded at her – a tall, lanky, older man named Haricot, with his trademark apathetic expression. "Welcome back, Bulma. Glad you could make it," he spoke with his normal monotone voice.

"What do you got for me, Hari," she said, as she entered.

"We found something in the victim's body – located right in the neck. It's small and cylindrical made from some foreign material. We don't know what it could be."

She pushed him out of the way, and sat in the stool in front of the microscope; this earned no reaction from him, to her annoyance. She adjusted the dials on the sides until she could get a clear view of it. As she looked at its shape and composition, she raised an eyebrow. "Huh. I think it's made of plastic."

"What's that?"

"It's a manmade material back on Earth: really cheap to make and mass-produce; used to package stuff; and all that jazz. Where was this, on the body?"

"In the back of his neck. Right next to the spinal cord."

"Was the spinal cord ruptured in any way?"

"No. There was no point of entry anywhere on the man's skin, either. Thus, no way for it to get in or out."

Bulma hummed, as she looked at the specimen. She used some tweezers to carefully shift it and rotate it, so that she could see the whole thing. When she did, she discovered something very odd. There was a small symbol etched into it. She pushed the tray of the microscope down, switching to the most magnified lens. When she brought it back up, the blurred view slowly came into frame.

Two triangles were connected by their point.

"Huh."

"What is it?"

"There's some kind of marking on it. I can't really make out what it's supposed to be." She hopped out of the chair, allowing him to look.

"What do you know," he said, with dull surprise. "There is. Do you know what it means?"

"No. It doesn't look like any symbol I've seen." She put her finger up to her chin, while tapping her foot. "Can we get some pictures of that? Maybe we can get it going around the lab. Someone might have an idea."

"Sure. Whatever you think will help."

She looked at Haricot, over her shoulder. "Bad day, Doc?"

"Aside from the murder spree and eminent death, things have been going rather well. Thank you for asking."

She laughed. "Touché. Anything else you need me for?"

"I did hear mention of you conducting your own experiments without our authorization. Mind telling me what that is about, Bulma?"

She waved her hand. "Just a personal project. Nothing you need to worry about."

"When you are using our resources, it is something I should worry about. Just because you are higher than most on the pecking order does not mean you don't get to play by the rules."

She groaned. "Fine, but don't tell anyone about it – it's a surprise."

"Let me guess – for his highness."

"How did you guess? You're so smart!" Once again, no reaction from him. She pouted, as she took out her blueprints. "I'm working on enhancing his training uniform through weights. If he has more weight pulling him down at all times, that means he can get stronger just by doing his daily routine. Add on the already hefty training regime he does, and there's no limit to how strong he could get. In theory, when he got used to one weight, one could add on more. Only problem is that I haven't been able to find something to use for the weights. I don't want it to be bulky, or anything – it should fit him like his normal clothes would."

Haricot looked over the prints. "Hmm. Decent idea. Is this just for him? I can imagine this would be invaluable for the army, as a whole."

"Maybe later down the road. I'd have to make adjustments for everyone's uniforms and that would take way too long. Right now, it's just for Vegeta."

He leaned in closer to the prints, running his finger over them. "Look into Keroset. It's a liquid metal, found out in the badlands. Even at its thinnest, it is still weighty."

"Really? Thanks! I'll get looking!" She hastily grabbed all of her blueprints, shoving them under her arm. "Well, I'm off! See you later, Hari!" She waved, as she ran out of the room. Now, she had a library visit to make.

* * *

Vegeta was back in the training room, once more. To his irritation, he was not training to his full abilities. However, he had promised Bulma that he'd take it a little easier, for now. Her neuroses were a hindrance, but he didn't want her to worry so hard – not while she was working on her hair-brained solution.

The training program was interrupted, when the door slid open. He shook his head. "What?"

The king snorted. "Good day to you as well, son."

"I'm in the middle of something, father – make it quick or go wait outside."

Something beeped, and the shields on the wall were put back in place. When Vegeta looked at his father, he saw that he was dressed in his training suit, as well. He couldn't even think of the last time he had seen him in that thing. Vegeta raised his brow, silently asking for an explanation.

"It's been quite some time – how about a little spar?"

Vegeta's eyes widened. It certainly had been some time. The last time they had sparred together, he was still a child. After the queen had died, the king barely looked at the training room. To make matters worse, Frieza encouraged him to drop the training all-together, to focus more on his royal duties – probably to make him easier to take down, later. He was probably too far out of habit to go back to regular training, at this point.

The king laughed. "What's with that face? Don't think your old man can take you, in a fight?"

Vegeta crouched down, into a fighting stance. "I'd love to see you try, father." He smirked at him, daring him to show his full power. The king followed suit, getting into a stance of his own.

Before he could lunge at him, the king disappeared. Vegeta was backhanded across the room. Vegeta stopped his momentum just before he hit the wall. His father charged him, and Vegeta blocked his fist. The son hopped up and flew backwards. He threw a ki blast, but his father swatted it right back at him. Vegeta ducked his head under his arms, blocking the ball of energy. It dissipated, as soon as it touched his skin.

Father and son rushed at each other, clashing with their palms touching one another. They braced themselves against the force, locking in a stare-off. Vegeta had not been expecting his father to be such a force to be reckoned with, after a decade of placidness. Perhaps he didn't need to hold back, in this fight.

Vegeta pulled his hands back and blasted a ki blast in his face – small enough not to scar him, but bright enough to temporarily blind him. Vegeta knocked him with his elbow, and his feet skid across the floor, as he tried to blink the light out of his eyes.

However, the King was not out of commission yet. As Vegeta began to charge an attack, he pointed at him and a large blast of energy came hurdling towards him. Vegeta did not duck in time and the attack hit him right in the face. He fell from the air and hit the floor with a loud thud.

Vegeta wiped his mouth with his shaking fist. His deep, red blood stained the back of his white glove. He clenched his teeth. He was not going to go down this easily – not to someone as inactive as his father. He braced his hands on the ground and pushed himself up into the air, standing on trembling legs.

The king shook his head, as he finally regained his vision. Looking upon his son, he smirked. "End training simulation," he spoke. The shields on the walls lowered, and the lights came on, once more. He walked up to him. "Excellent work, my son – I did not expect you to be so clever, with your attacks."

Vegeta sighed, as he relaxed his stance. "You're stronger than I anticipated."

"What do you think I have been up to, while you've been away on other planets? I've been attempting to get back into my old habits." He went to a wall and hit it with his fist. A drawer with a few towels inside slid out. The king grabbed one and threw the other to his son. "Perhaps we can make this a regular occurrence, between the two of us. We can keep up our strength together. What do you say to that?"

He was taken aback by his father's request. This was much unlike him. However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. There was a great threat on the horizon, and every Saiyan needed to be able to defend themselves. Perhaps this would be a chance for both of them to get stronger.

Vegeta nodded. "Alright. But know that I won't go easy on you."

The king smiled. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, my son."

* * *

After the heads-up from Haricot, Bulma had collected every book she could on Planet Vegeta's topography and make. She needed to find specific places where that metal was located. Once it was narrowed down to one or two different locations, she could do some mining for it. She was huddled up in a small corner, writing down any spec of information she thought would be useful.

As she read through one of the biggest books, she finally had another breakthrough. Keroset was found just a few miles outside of the city. And this discovery was recent – only a few years ago was it first dug up. That meant that there might still be fresh ores of it there. She scribbled down the coordinates and tucked it into her pocket. She'd make a dash there in the morning.

As she started putting her books away, something out of the corner of her eyes caught her attention. She leaned out to the side, to see what it was.

"Raditz? What are you doing here?"

Raditz looked over his shoulder. He was hunched in a corner of a room, kneeling down close to the floor. He looked as if he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing. "Bulma!" He stood up, quickly. "How are you? What brings you here?"

"I asked you that same question." She looked down at his feet. A large book was lying open-faced on the ground. "Never took you for a studying type."

His eyes widened, as he looked down. Bulma smiled, knowing that she had him in a corner. He sighed. "It's not exactly that," he admitted.

She frowned. "What do you mean?" Suddenly, he sounded somber and sad. It was so unlike him, with his normally relaxed and playful disposition. He knelt down and picked up the book, showing the cover to her: POD FLIGHT TRANSCRIPTS OF THE YEAR AGE 736: DEPARTURES. "You're looking at old flight transcripts?"

He nodded. "It's a long story. You wouldn't want to hear it…"

Bulma set her pile of books down on an empty end table. Her research could wait. "What is it? You know you can tell me."

He looked around the library, for a moment, as if to make sure that no one else was listening. "I'm trying to find my brother," he said, in a soft voice.

Her eyes widened. "You have a brother?" This had never come up in any conversations, before. He had never even spoken of his family, now that she thought about it.

"At least, I did." He laughed, as she shook his head. "I have no idea where he could be or even if he's still alive. I've looked through this thing three times and haven't found a single clue of where he could be."

She looked down at the book, again. "Why would you think he'd be in here?"

"Some dumb bit of hope, maybe? I know it's such a slim chance, but he was sent away in a pod. I thought if I could narrow it down and find out where he was sent to, I might finally find out what happened to him."

Bulma didn't know what she could say to that. It was just awful. Being away from her family for those three years was hell; she couldn't even imagine what it would be like to be sent away from them without notice. She did admire Raditz for sticking to it for however long he had been.

"I know you'll find him," she said. "You've searched for this long – you've got to have a breakthrough, soon."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Little Blue."

"If there's anything I can do, just ask."

"Well, I'm not allowed into the deep databases to go searching in the raw documents. A few might have gotten lost in the translation. I might find a clue, there."

She smiled, confidently, while she picked up her books, once more. "I think I can manage that. I can talk with one of the scribes and we can look down there, together. Surely, they'd let us."

He grabbed her arm, before she walked away. "Please keep it a secret. I don't want anyone else finding out about this."

"You can count on me. I'll come up with an alibi. I'll let you know, when I have everything sorted out." She pushed her books up, balancing them in her hands, and walked off.

Raditz looked down at his own book, and sighed. "One day, I'll find you, Kakarot…"

* * *

 **Earth**

"Daddy! You're back!"

Flying Nimbus came down from above, landing right in front of the jumping little boy. Goku hopped off and knelt down to pick him up. "Hey, Gohan!" Gohan hugged him, as he carried him inside. "Did you have a good day?"

Gohan nodded. "Mommy gave me a math test and I got an A on it! She said I won't have to study tomorrow!"

"Nice! I knew you could do it. Maybe we can do something special, then." Goku kicked the door open, and walked inside. "Hello? Chi-Chi?"

"Goku, there you are." Chi-Chi wiped her hands on her apron, as she came up to him. "Dinner's about ready, so you can go out back and start setting up. We're having a picnic to celebrate Gohan's aced test."

Gohan's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"You've worked so hard this past week; I think you've earned it." Chi-Chi pulled his hat off and tossed his hair around, making him giggle.

Goku set Gohan back down on the ground. "How about you go wash up, and I'll meet you outside. Okay, buddy?"

"Okay, daddy!" Gohan went running into the hallway, as his tail waved eagerly behind him.

Chi-Chi sighed. "That boy has too much energy, I swear."

"He told me you're giving him a day off, tomorrow. Can I take him out, then?"

"I was actually thinking that we all go out, tomorrow – just the four of us. Piccolo suggested that we go some place quiet, like the beach or maybe out by the mushroom forest. I'll ask Gohan, when he gets back out. How does that sound?"

"Okay! Sounds cool. You said something needed to be set up."

"Yes. Just a few blankets and plates, if you will. They're on the table."

"I'm on it." He took the basket off of the table. "It'll be ready, in no time! Oh, and, where's Piccolo? I thought he'd be with you."

"Went out on his own. Said he needed to do some meditation alone." She sighed. "I do hope he'll be back in time to eat."

"You know he will. He always is. I can run and grab him, if he isn't."

She shook her head. "No, you're right. I worry too much. Well, if you can go ahead and get that started, I'll finish up fixing the food."

"Sure. Let me know when you're ready!" He kissed her, before going out the back door.

"Daddy!" Gohan went running out the back door, after him.

"Hey, buddy! Wanna help daddy set up the picnic?" He nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

In case you missed it, I posted two new fics, this week. They both feature an m/m ship, so if that's not your thing, be warned. Also, this saga is finally all up on Archive of Our Own! If you prefer to read fics on AO3, then you can mosey on over there and do it. I will be updating it as consistently there as I do here. My pen name is the same there as it is here.

Please note that if you have not read _Somebody's Got Your Back_ , this chapter won't make much sense. So go do that, if you aren't, already.

Got all of that? Good. Enjoy!

* * *

As he set a plate down on the blanket, Goku blinked. He looked up at the sky, glancing from side to side. He slowly stood up, as he stared at the clouds, focusing hard on them. His hands clenched into a fist, and he unconsciously began clenching his teeth. He ignored Gohan tugging on his pant leg, as he tried to figure out what was going on.

"Who's hungry," Chi-Chi said, as she carried out a bowl of stew. When she didn't get a response, she noticed how tense Goku was. She set it back on the kitchen floor, before stepping onto the back porch. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"I don't know," he said. "There's a giant energy right on top of us."

She walked up next to him, trying to see what he was seeing. "What do you think it is?" Once again, he didn't respond. "Goku?"

Without looking at her, he finally replied. "Take Gohan and go inside. Now. Don't come out until I'm back."

Chi-Chi nodded and picked up Gohan, prying him away from his father. She carried him back inside, shutting and locking the door behind her, going to pull all of the curtains in the house.

Goku ran around the house and back to the front lawn, where Flying Nimbus was waiting for him. He jumped onboard and flew off in a hurry.

* * *

Piccolo eyes flashed open, and he turned around. There was an energy heading right towards the planet, about to hit land. And it was huge. He narrowed his eyes, trying to focus on it. There was something familiar about it that he couldn't place his finger on. He had to know if this was hostile or not.

His eyes widened. "No…! It can't be…!"

Immediately, he powered up and flew to the sky, heading right to the source. He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists. He had thought that it had all been done with. There was no way that anyone could have survived that. He was hoping that it was a trick; practically praying that it was.

"Piccolo, wait!"

He stopped mid-air, and glanced behind him. Goku was sitting on flying Nimbus. He quickly caught up to him.

"You feel that too, don't you," he asked. "What do you think it is?"

"Where's Chi-Chi and Gohan?"

"I told her to take him and wait inside."

He wasn't sure how much good that was going to be, but he supposed that this was their best option. "Go back and wait with them."

"What? Why?"

Piccolo groaned. He didn't have time for this. "I mean it, Goku! This is more than you can handle! Just do what I said, and go back home!"

"No way!" Goku raised his fist up. "If this is really a problem, I'm fighting, too! I won't let you do this, alone!"

He bit back another groan. He already knew there was no way he'd convince him to back out. "Fine. If you're going to be like this, then you better stay out of my way." He took off, before he could give an answer. He didn't slow down his pace. Goku could feel energy; he could catch up when he got there. He just needed to get there and assess the situation, before it escalated.

He truly hoped his powers were deceiving him.

* * *

Piccolo arrived at his destination in a matter of minutes. He nearly fell over, from the sight – a large ship was slowly descending from the sky. It was shaped like a disk, with yellow spheres along its edge. In the front, there was a large window, with no visibility from the outside. Eight legs extended from its base, as it fell closer to the land. It touched down, not with a loud crash, but with a gentle bounce, almost as a spider would. As it landed, Piccolo took cover, behind a boulder.

Goku caught up with him, shortly after. He jumped up, and ran up to him, taking cover behind the same boulder. "What do you think it is," he said, in a hushed whisper.

He clenched his teeth. "Something that I hope to god I'm wrong about."

As if on cue, the door to the ship opened with a hiss, letting steam out from the inside. The door extended into a runway platform down to the ground. A line of soldiers filed out from inside, standing alongside the runway, one across from the other. They were followed by a short man, dressed in a long robe with armor over top of it. He walked out with his hands behind his back.

Then, out came what looked like a machine – chrome and bolts all over its body. But, it was attached to organic flesh: a mangled mess of machine and man. But there was no doubt in Piccolo's mind of who this was.

Frieza had returned.

His hand clenched into a fist. He had thought that he had been defeated, for good. They had left him to die, in Planet Vegeta's explosion. How could he have survived? And, somehow, his power had increased ten-fold.

"Who's that," Goku asked. "The one with the robot stuff?"

Piccolo snarled. "You remember those stories of my old masters?" He shifted his head towards him. "You're looking at the worst one."

His eyes widened. "That's him?! Wow. His power's incredible. I can barely get my head around it."

At least he was beginning to understand. "This is why I need to find a way to get him out of here, and quickly. And why you need to go back to Chi-Chi and Gohan. I don't need another distraction."

"Are you kidding? There's no way you can stand a chance against him, alone! Maybe I can't fight him, by myself, but maybe we can overpower him if we team up. You're not leaving me out of this, Piccolo: we're fighting this together."

He breathed out through his nose, and rolled his eyes. There truly was no way to convince this idiot of anything. "If you insist on getting yourself killed, then fine. But listen: do what I say and stay out of my way. If I tell you to run, you better do it. This enemy has more power than you could ever comprehend: I want you to understand that."

Goku nodded. "I won't let you down."

"On my mark, we run and show ourselves. Don't throw the first punch: wait for them to attack, first."

* * *

Frieza stood and looked upon the planet. So, this was Earth. This is what he had been imagining for the past three years, stuck in the vacuum of space. Already, he couldn't wait to wipe it off the face of the universe. It wouldn't take long, he presumed – a few days of purging, and then he'd blow the rest of it up.

It was the least that Earth girl deserved for what she did to him.

"Lord Frieza," said his short and stout subordinate. "I don't understand why you immediately came to Earth. Are you sure you don't want to alert your father that you're alive, first?"

"No," he said, with a metallic twang in his voice. "I have unfinished business to attend to here, Sorbet. Now, scout out the power levels here."

Sorbet hit his scouter, scanning the entire planet for a mean power level. In a matter of seconds, all of the Earthling's powers were documented and divided by the overall population. He snorted, when he read the number. "This is low-hanging fruit, Lord Frieza – an average of 190."

Frieza chuckled. "This will be easier than I thought." He turned to address his soldiers. "Men, I want you to scout out the largest masses of powers and exterminate them all one by one. If you deem any of them to be useful, capture them and deliver them back to the ship. If they resist, then kill them and be done with it. However, if you happen to find the one we spoke of on the ship, deliver her to me by any means necessary – I want her alive. Understood?"

The soldiers stood at attention, and brought their hands up into a salute. "Sir!"

"You have three days. Get to it."

Right as they were about to take off, all of their scouters beeped. Piccolo and Goku jumped out from their hiding place and stood in front of the opposing soldiers.

Frieza raised his brow. This was unexpected – reinforcements from the Earthlings. Though, if this was all they could gather, it was a bit pathetic. As he looked upon the two warriors, his eyes lit up, with recognition. He chuckled. "Ah, I remember you." He pointed at Piccolo. "I didn't expect to see you here, slave."

Piccolo flinched, for a moment. He hated that his cruel nickname still got to him.

"Don't talk about him like that," Goku yelled. "Piccolo is not your slave! He's his own person, so you can just drop it!"

Frieza cocked a brow. No one dared to yell at him, unless they were unaware of his power. "And who would you be?" This one seemed familiar, as well, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Goku pointed his thumb at himself. "My name is Goku and this is my home! And I won't let you destroy it!"

He rolled his eyes. He hated the valiant, virtuous types. "Of course you are. Is this a friend of yours?"

Piccolo ignored his question. He grabbed onto the collar of his cape, and tossed it behind him. His turban quickly followed. "As much as I would enjoy catching up with you, I'm afraid that's not why we're here."

"So, you are here to fight me. And I thought you would have learned your lesson, by now." He sighed. "I suppose you can't expect anything different from fools, such as yourselves."

Goku removed his undershirt, followed by his sweatbands and shoes. They were weighted, as well. He rubbed his wrists, bending them back and forth. "Something tells me I'm not gonna want to hold back, against you."

Frieza shrugged, waving towards himself in a 'come-hither' motion. "Fine. Come at me, then. And yes: don't bother holding back."

Piccolo and Goku glanced at each other. At the same time, they charged, with their fists pulled back. They aimed punches at Frieza, but he easily caught their fists. To his surprise, they managed to force his heels into the dirt.

Frieza phased out of sight. He reappeared inches away from them. Piccolo kicked at his disappearing image. Once he reappeared, Goku tried the same thing. Frieza kept his arms crossed, amused by their desperate attempts to hit him. He expected the same from the Namekian, but this new warrior had him intrigued. Again, there was something familiar about his face, but he couldn't place a name.

Frieza's tail wound around Goku's waist and he tossed him to the side. He focused his attention on Piccolo. He kicked his knee into his chest, and knocked his back with his elbow. He kicked him into the air, teleported behind him, and knocked him into the dirt.

As Piccolo staggered back up, all he could think of is how Frieza could have gotten so much stronger. This seemed even further past his limits than before – even with the mechanical limbs. He must have been doing something, these past three years, to increase his power.

"You must have a death wish, slave. You've seen the extent of my full power first-hand, and yet you persist in fighting. Too weak to fight, but too stubborn to die."

Piccolo brought his hands up above his head, and fired a bright-yellow ki-blast in his direction. Frieza deflected it, letting it explode when it hit a mountain behind him.

Goku came running back out, jumping up and out towards Frieza. He punched him in the stomach repeatedly, screaming the entire time. In retaliation, Frieza lifted his hand into the air, ready to smack him hard. Piccolo stretched his arm out, grabbed the back of his gi, and pulled him away just in time, setting him behind him. He would save his chastising words for later – now, they had bigger problems.

Frieza tilted his head to the side. "I have to admit – I admire your spunk, Goku." He made sure to emphasize his name. "I do need to rebuild my army, after it had been destroyed. Perhaps we can make amends and you can join me."

"No," Goku yelled. "I know about everything you've done to Piccolo, and I won't join you, after you hurt my family!"

He blinked. "Family?" As he stared at the two of them, he started laughing. "Oh, that is just cute. I didn't think that anyone would care that much about you. Perhaps I should try to convince you, instead."

Frieza glanced back at his subordinates. He did a double take and glared at them. "Weren't you supposed to be following my orders?"

The soldiers went stiff, and saluted. "Sir!" They flew into the air and took off.

Then, suddenly, the soldiers fell right to the ground, again. Their limp and lifeless bodies piled on top of each other. The remaining soldiers stood rigid, with fear, as they looked upon their lifeless bodies.

A figure fell down to the ground below. His sword was sheathed behind his back. He sported a dark-blue bomber jacket, dark-grey pants, and a pair of brown boots. He looked across the battlefield at Frieza, with a hardened, as the wind blew into his short, lavender-colored hair. Goku and Piccolo stared at him in shock and awe. Neither of them was able to see that attack, and it came out of nowhere. Who was this guy?

For their sake, they hoped he was on their side.


	5. Chapter 5

See the end of this chapter for an important question I have for you all. Enjoy!

* * *

Frieza looked annoyed, that his minions had been disposed of so quickly. He waved his hand, and shut his eyes. "What do you want? Make it fast, or move along." The unnamed warrior did not respond. "What are you waiting for? Either say something or get out of here. My patience runs thin when my time is wasted."

"I'm here to kill you, Frieza."

He opened his eyes, and looked at him. "You know who I am." He chuckled. "My reputation does precede me, even on this backwater planet. If you know who I am, then you must know that you are trifling with the strongest being in the universe. Or did no one have the courtesy to tell you that?"

To Piccolo, this kid sounded nuts. Even if he seemed aware of his power, did he think that he could come out of nowhere and defeat someone as powerful as Frieza? "Listen, kid, this is more than you can imagine. Get out of here, before things get rough."

The warrior looked back at Piccolo. His hardened glare faded away, when he saw him. He paused for a moment, before he spoke. "I know what I'm doing, Piccolo. You don't need to protect me."

That both shocked and confused him. How did he know his name? And why was he speaking as if he knew him? Come to think of it, how could he know who Frieza was, either? He looked like an Earthling; they didn't have this kind of knowledge, all the way out here.

"Hey," Goku whispered. "Do you know him?"

"No, I don't…"

"You'd be better off taking the Namekian's advice, lest you want to get yourself killed."

The warrior glared back at Frieza. "That won't happen. You're going to die, today."

Frieza looked to be growing tired of being talked to by him. "If you knew what was best for you, you would watch your confidence, boy. But, I suppose I can indulge you, if just for a moment." He looked back at his men. "I have a new mission for you: kill the Namekian, and subdue the Earthling. If you are not done by the time I have finished disposing of this unruly scum, there will be dire consequences."

Piccolo clenched his teeth, holding his ground as he stood in front of Goku. He glared at the soldiers, daring them to try to come close to him. Goku took his guarded stance, making it known that he wasn't going down without a fight. The soldiers looked to be reluctant to try this.

Sorbet made himself known, once more. "Lord Frieza, is this truly necessary? What use would a simple Earthling be to us?"

"Are you questioning my judgment?"

He grew meek, and shook his head. "No! Of course not! If you believe it is best, then we shall do it!"

"That is what I thought. Now, get to it."

As the soldiers hesitantly went towards them, the mystery warrior spoke, once more. "Listen up. There won't be going back, after this. My fight is with Frieza. Not you. Leave now, and I'll let you go. Attack them, and I won't hesitate to kill you, myself."

Being talked down to like this strengthened their resolve. Out of pure spite, the soldiers ran towards Goku and Piccolo, guns pointed at them. They both prepared for the onslaught, keeping their guarded stances.

Then, the wave of soldiers froze. The warrior was standing behind them, holding his sword. He slowly sheathed it. When the hilt met the top of the sheath, the soldiers fell down. Once again, neither Piccolo nor Goku saw that attack. He was an Earthling, wasn't he? How could he have gotten so powerful?

Frieza looked intrigued. "You seem to have more skill than I gave you credit for, it seems. I'm honestly impressed. Though, with my soldiers out of commission, you have just inconvenienced me to no end. Now, I'll have to roll up my proverbial sleeves and finish this job, myself. I hope you realize that I am not as kind and forgiving as they would have been towards the rest of your pathetic race."

"You won't get the chance."

He chuckled. "And what could you possibly do to stop me? Those peons are ants, compared to me."

The warrior stared him down, before a smirk came on his face. "I'll show you."

He put his fists to the side, planting his feet firmly on the ground. Bits of rock and rubble flew through the air, as his energy began to rise. He let out a loud scream, his hair flew up, and his aura flared around him, shrouding his form. The ground quaked beneath his feet, and flattened into a large crater.

Piccolo's eyes widened. He grabbed Goku, and ran back, taking cover away from him.

The warrior's aura shifted into a bright yellow hue. As his visage came back into view, he was glaring at Frieza with teal-colored eyes, and his hair was now a brilliant gold.

Frieza stepped backwards, eyes wide with fear. He couldn't speak, as he was forced to relive his past. He had only seen this once, before. He never thought that he would have to face one, ever again. He began to tremble, as he realized just what he was facing.

Those eyes – they were the same ones he saw on Vegeta all those years ago.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," he stated, with a confident smirk.

Frieza hunched over, clenching his jaw so tightly it might have broken. "YOU DARE MOCK THE MIGHTY FRIEZA?!" He fired a beam at him, hoping to put him down once and for all. However, he deflected it, without looking away from him. He lowered his hands, shocked that he managed to do that.

He breathed heavily, filled with rage and fear. Meanwhile, the legendary warrior continued to stare at him with a cool glare. He could not take this, any longer. He jumped into the air, pointing his finger upwards. A large ball of energy was being formed above him, growing bigger and bigger with every second.

Even on the ground, Piccolo and Goku could still feel the pulsing of that ball of ki. They covered their eyes, from the blinding light. "That's getting huge," Goku yelled.

"Any bigger, and it'll take the planet out," Piccolo yelled back.

"What?! We have to stop him!"

"No." He pointed at the mysterious warrior. "I think he can handle it."

"Lord Frieza," Sorbet yelled. He thought that his superior's son had gone completely mad. "What are you doing?! This will destroy the planet!"

"IT DOES NOT MATTER! IT'S WHAT THIS GOD-FOR-NOTHING ROCK DESERVES!" He did not care about making the Earth suffer or even if the Earth girl was here. All he wanted to do was be rid of the menace that stood below him. He threw it towards the ground, screeching along the way. The warrior did not move, as the ball hit him head-on.

Piccolo and Goku ducked their heads, as a harsh wind blew over them. The ground began to level, creating a huge crater, as the ball made its decent towards the Earth's core.

"We must get to the ship," Sorbet said. "We don't have much time, left!"

"NOT YET!" Frieza turned his attention back to the Namekian and the Earthling. There was one last thing he had to attend to.

He rushed towards them, kicked Piccolo, and wrapped his tail around his neck. Goku looked up, and immediately jumped back up. He brought his hands together, and put them to his side, powering up an attack.

"Ah, ah, ah," Frieza said, wagging his finger. "Remember my deal? Join me and I'll let your family go. My patience is running thin. I trust you to choose correctly, Goku."

Goku hesitated. Frieza's tail tightened around Piccolo's neck; he clenched his teeth, as he struggled to breathe. Goku stared in horror, watching his friend being tortured so brutally. He had thought that Piccolo might have exaggerated, but Frieza truly was pure evil. What if he found out about Chi-Chi and Gohan? Did he have no choice, if he wanted his family to be safe?

He began to lower his hands, and the ball of ki he built up dissipated. Frieza smirked. "I see you listen to reason, at the very least." He threw Piccolo into a bed of rocks.

"LORD FRIEZA! LOOK!"

He turned around and gasped. The energy ball was rising from the ground. The legendary warrior was still standing, carrying it with one bare hand. He stepped forward, and out of the crater, still glaring at him.

"H-how?!"

The warrior smirked at him. "Is that all you got?"

"WHY WON'T YOU PESTS STAY DEAD?!" He threw another blast at him, aimed at the energy ball. The added energy made it instable, and the warrior was caught in a large explosion of light and smoke. When the dust began to clear, he was nowhere to be seen: completely obliterated. Perhaps now, he could be finally free of these Super Saiyans.

"HEY, FRIEZA!"

His eyes widened. When he looked up, the warrior was still standing atop a cliff. He moved his hands in a pattern around, until a ball of energy went tumbling towards him. As he began to jump up, there was another noise behind him. Goku and Piccolo were both standing, and fired directly at him with their own energy beams. Unable to react in time, he took all of the blasts on, at the same time.

Without hesitation, the warrior jumped back down into the cloud of smoke. Suddenly, Frieza was kicked back up in the air, with the warrior closely trailing him. He unsheathed his sword and threw it down towards him. Frieza was completely frozen, as he stared at the legendary. His vision began to split. Too in-shock to realize it, he had been sliced in half.

The warrior sliced him up like minced meat repeatedly. He pulled his hand back and fired at his remains, destroying every last bit of his being. The ashes fell towards the ground, as the smoke began to clear.

Taking a breath, the warrior lowered himself towards the ground. He glared at Sorbet. He panicked and ran back into the ship. The engines started once more, and it rocketed back into the sky, leaving the Earth behind. The warrior sheathed his sword once more, clicking the hilt against it. His hair fell back down, returning to its lavender hue. A look of relief and peace was on his face.

"That was amazing!"

Goku ran over to him, and he stepped backwards, in surprise. He started jumping in place. "Hi, I'm Goku! Do you wanna go for a quick round with me, or something when you're blonde and stuff? You seem really strong!"

"Oh, uh," a shy smile formed on his face. "I don't really have time for that right now, Goku. There's something more important, actually."

Goku pouted. "Okay…"

Piccolo walked up next to him. "Who are you," he asked, bluntly.

The warrior's eyes widened. "Yes. There's something important I have to tell you, Piccolo." He stepped closer to him. "We'll have to-"

"Goku!"

The three of them looked up. A hover car was coming in for a landing, behind them. When the doors opened, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien Shinhan all came out. They ran towards them. The warrior sighed and closed his eyes, as he stepped away from Piccolo. "I'll tell you in a second," he said. Piccolo nodded.

"Are you okay," Yamcha asked. "We could feel you guys all the way from Tien's dojo."

"What the hell happened," Tien asked, as he looked at the battlefield. "It looks like a bomb was dropped here."

Goku put his finger on his chin. "Well, this half-robot guy showed up, wanting to destroy the world and kill everyone. Me and Piccolo went to try and stop him, but he was super strong. Then this guy showed up," He pointed at the unnamed warrior. "And it turned out that he was super strong, too! And he managed to defeat him! There was another short guy, but he ran away."

"Wow," Krillin said, looking positively horrified. "I didn't think that anyone would come after the Earth, like that."

"That's Frieza for you," Piccolo said.

Yamcha walked up to the mysterious warrior. "So you were one of those big energies we felt, weren't you? That must have been some fight. What's your name? I wanna thank you, for keeping the planet safe."

He blushed and lowered his head. "I can't really tell you that. This is something only one person should hear." He looked back over at Piccolo. "As I was about to say earlier, we need to discuss this in private."

Piccolo shrugged. "Fine by me."

Before they could walk away, Goku put a hand on Piccolo's shoulder. "I'm coming with you. If he tries something, then I still can help you fight him off."

He groaned, and rolled his eyes. "Goku, I can take care of myself. Back off."

"Please don't worry, Goku," the warrior said. "You all will know, soon enough, but this is something only he should hear. I promise I have no reason to fight any of you. Please understand."

Goku and stared at the warrior, after he made his confession. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. But if something goes down, I'm coming right over to help out."

"W-wait," Krillin said, with apprehension and nervousness. "What's so important? Why will we find out, later?"

The warrior and Piccolo ignored the cries of concern, and left the rest of the group behind.

"Hey," Tien said. "How come you didn't put up more of a fight, over that? The guy's a complete stranger: you can't know if he's telling the truth."

"I can't sense any evil intentions in him. I don't think he means any harm. Besides, Piccolo's right: I think he'll be okay."

"Yeah," Yamcha interjected. "Plus, if he was bad, then he would have just tried to fight us, after he took out that bigger guy you talked about."

Tien shook his head. "I don't think I'll understand how you can trust like that."

"You're one to talk," Krillin muttered to himself.

* * *

The unnamed warrior and Piccolo moved to a parallel field – far enough away so that no one could hear then, but close enough for them to see what was going on. The warrior wanted to ease some of their suspicion, hoping to earn a bit of their trust. If he was going to help them, doing this was vital to his plan.

Now came the hardest part of this: explaining himself. Where would he even begin?

He hoped that this Piccolo was like the one that he knew.

"Alright," Piccolo said. "You have my attention. Now, who are you, and what do you want to tell me?"

The warrior had his eyes down, but finally looked up at him. "I should probably start by telling you who I am. It's gonna sound crazy, but please just listen to everything."

"I can assure you I have probably seen crazier."

The warrior nodded. "My name is Trunks. I arrived here in a time machine from seventeen years in the future." Piccolo only raised a brow at this comment; if he was surprised, he was doing a good job of hiding it. "If the calculations are right, I should be born a little under a year from now. But, that's not the important part...

"A year from now, on May 12th, West City is going to be attacked by a menace – an android created by Dr Gero."

"An android."

"Half human, half machine – a medical and scientific monstrosity. He had an obsession for these kinds of experiments. It attacked the whole city, but Gero only wanted one person – my mother. She escaped, but Gero tried to get her back for years. As a last-ditch effort, he set two more androids loose. The doctor ended up getting what he deserved from them, and they did him in, themselves. However, without a master, they were wanton for chaos and destruction, killing and maiming any poor soul they got their hands on. And the worst part is that no one can defeat them…

Trunks paused, searching for the right way to put this. He kept his head down, not wanting to be put off by any horrified reactions. "Piccolo, you and I are the only warriors that are still alive, in the future. Everyone else was killed by the androids. Even with our strength together, we couldn't defeat them."

Piccolo stayed calm, though he was horrified at that realization. If someone who bested Frieza couldn't take them down, then how strong were these androids? He could ponder the remaining implications, later. "Why wasn't I killed?" That sounded a lot unlike him. If there were some great menace like that, then either he would confront it himself or they would be drawn to him.

"You never told me about it. I overheard you talking about it with my mother, when I was little. You said something pushed you away from the rest of the Earth. I think it might have had something to do with what happened, today."

"What makes you say that?"

"When I asked him when to tell everyone, he gave me today's date. He didn't say anything else, but I heard him mutter something about fixing a mistake."

Piccolo narrowed his eyes, in confusion. He and Goku hadn't been backed into a corner, when Trunks showed up for the fight. Frieza was a lot more than he had anticipated, but it hadn't gotten hopeless. He could only ponder what could have been his mistake. No reason to do so, though: Frieza was dead, with no chance of coming back.

He nodded. "Alright. You said May 12th next year at West City. Is that right?"

"Yes. If you put a stop to those androids and Dr Gero, then we could save the future. If I can survive long enough for the time machine to recharge, I will be there to help you. Now, I should get going. It was good to meet you and the others, Piccolo." Trunks turned around and powered up, ready to fly back to the spaceship.

"Wait." He stopped, and powered back down. "You talked a lot about your mother. Who is she?"

Trunks left his back facing him. His shoulders were tense, as his hands were curled into white-knuckled fists. Piccolo could see him trembling slightly.

"If we know who she is, that will make our job finding the androids easier."

Trunks turned around, keeping his head down. His voice was low, sounding solemn and full of remorse. "My mother is an old friend of yours – Bulma."

Piccolo nodded. That made sense. He could see the resemblance, for sure – he had her eyes. "I'm guessing Vegeta's your dad."

Trunks didn't comment, but that answer was a no-brainer, as far as he was concerned. He looked up at Piccolo, with a hardened expression. "As I was saying, I need to get going. I hope to be seeing you in a year. Good luck to you all." Trunks powered back up and flew away.

Piccolo watched him as he flew off. Trunks had been polite and respectful to them all, but suddenly got an attitude, when he mentioned Vegeta. It left him to wonder what else had changed, in his supposed future. If he ever returned, he would have some questions for him.

He didn't have long to let everything he had heard sink in: once he was alone, Goku and the others rushed back over to him. They demanded that he spill the beans on what he said. He informed everyone of what was going to happen a year from now, and all that would follow if they did not put a stop to it.

"You're joking right," Yamcha said. "That sounds crazy, right?"

Krillin nervously laughed. "Yeah. A time machine? That's just stuff that happens in movies."

"You can believe whatever you want: the androids will be coming, either way. I plan on spending the next year training, so we can be ready for them."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Tien said. "Even if that's not true, something else could come – just like that guy you and Goku fought. We need to be ready for it, either way." His words cleared some of Krillin and Yamcha's skepticism. Maybe they should start training. If they went up against that Frieza guy, they wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Well, I say we get training soon," Goku finally interjected. "We can take out those guys easily, if we work and train hard enough!"

"I think we should head to Roshi's place, gather everyone, and tell them what's going on," Yamcha said to Krillin. "Someone might know a way to help us out."

"Oh yeah. Surely Roshi could think of something!"

"I'll come with you," Tien said. "We need to get Chiaotzu, back at the dojo."

"Sounds like a plan."

Goku put a hand on Piccolo's shoulder. "We should probably tell Chi-Chi and Gohan what's going on, too. I wouldn't want them to get in trouble, when the androids come."

That was exactly what Piccolo was thinking, as well. "But remember – don't let word of this spread. We don't want to cause panic before anything happens. It'll only make this Gero guy's job easier."

The Earth warriors agreed to Piccolo's terms, and they split up. Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien left on the hover car they came in, rushing off to Kame House to warn the rest of their group of friends. Goku called for Flying Nimbus and flew back to Mount Paozu, with Piccolo flying next to him.

Trunks watched this from afar. All went according to plan. Now, he had to prepare for the day he'd return. As much as he wished he could stick around and enjoy the company of the Earth warriors more, he had to return to his future. He had his own responsibilities to uphold and could not waste any more time than he already had. As he flew back to the time machine, a smile formed on his face. He was rejuvenated with a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope.

* * *

So I have a question for you all - how do you want to hear about the future? Should it be condensed into flashbacks in this story, or should there be a History of Trunks-style spinoff all about the future timeline? It's pretty different than what was in the manga or show, so some of it has to be shown somehow. A separate story would mean one more thing for you all to read and might mean delays in this story, but including it in flashbacks might make it rushed and this story might end up too cluttered. I'm torn, so please let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you're thinking of this story, so far, and how you're liking the direction that it's going.


	6. Chapter 6

Goku and Piccolo arrived back home in a few hours. As soon as they set foot on the ground, Chi-Chi opened the door, to let them back in. She gasped, when she saw their battle-damaged outfits, but was relieved to see them both okay. She ushered them back inside, where they were attempting to continue their planned picnic. Now with the rest of the family back, they could go on without worries.

Both Goku and Piccolo were quiet, during dinner. They were both pondering how they were going to explain this to Chi-Chi and Gohan. This was not going to be an easy topic to throw onto their laps out of nowhere; they'd be dealing with two nervous wrecks, if they weren't careful. They couldn't even focus on the delicious food because of it.

Of course, this caught Chi-Chi's attention. "Goku, are you okay? You haven't even touched your plate."

Goku and Piccolo looked at each other. Piccolo nodded at him. Instead, Goku looked at Gohan. "Gohan, could you go to your room? We need to talk to your mommy. Okay?"

Gohan, completely oblivious to the tension, stood up. "Okay, daddy." He hugged his mother, father, and Piccolo, before he ran back to the house.

Chi-Chi looked surprised, that her husband was acting so serious; knowing that made her fear the worst. "What is it? What happened while you were gone?"

Goku sighed, moving to sit next to her. "That power I felt… he came from some other planet to take over the world. And he turned out to be one of those bad guys Piccolo talked about."

Her eyes widened. "What?" She looked at Piccolo. "Is that true?"

Piccolo nodded. "He was the worst one, out of all of them. I thought he had died, but he came back, looking for someone else he hated. He was acting as if he wanted Goku, too. If it weren't for that other warrior…" He shook his head. "I don't even want to think about what could have happened."

"Well, at least you did. It's all over then, right?"

"Not really," Goku said. "That other warrior told Piccolo that a year from now, an evil scientist is going to send androids to attack West City. And he had two other worse ones in the works, too."

Piccolo continued where Goku left off. "According to him, he and I are the only ones who survive their wrath. But even with our strength, we aren't strong enough to take them."

Chi-Chi looked horrified, as the implications of what they said sunk in. She didn't want to think about her husband or any of their friends dying. If they weren't strong enough to defeat them, then just how powerful were these androids? What if they got Gohan, too?

"Oh god," she whispered, looking as if she was close to having a panic attack. Goku tried to pull her closer, but she pushed against him. "Why did you tell me this? I didn't want to think about you dying. How could you do this to me?"

Goku didn't move away, holding onto her arms. "Because it's not all bad. We have the warning: we have a chance to fight this. If we train hard enough and get stronger, then there's no way that these androids can defeat us."

She pulled her arms away and stood up, facing away from them. "Even after learning all of that, you still want to fight?!"

Goku stood up, following her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "If we don't, then who will? We have to be able to protect Earth."

She turned around. "And what about us?! It was bad enough today, when you ran out to fight some tyrant! What am I supposed to do – sit around and pray that you come home, safely?! What if something happens, out there?! What am I supposed to tell Gohan?! How am I supposed to explain to him that his dad won't be coming home, again?! I don't think I could take it, Goku!" Tears started rolling down her face. She hunched over and covered her face, sobbing hard.

Goku put her hands on her shuddering shoulders, once more. "But it won't. We still have a year, before this is supposed to happen. That's plenty of time to get ready for them. They won't be ready for us, when we get stronger."

She tried wiping her eyes, though the tears kept falling. "How can you be so confident? After everything you just told me, how?"

"Because I know I can. I have you and Gohan to protect – if I died, I couldn't protect you, anymore."

"And we won't be alone," Piccolo finally said. "The other Earth warriors are preparing, as well. You don't have to turn into a blubbering mess over hypotheticals. And if something does happen, we still have the Dragon Balls."

"Right. So, don't worry. We'll get strong enough to take them. I know it."

She sniffed. "I can't stop you, when you have your mind made up, can I?" Eventually, she nodded, still keeping her gaze down. "Alright… if you're so confident, then you can train and fight them."

"Oh, it's not gonna be just us."

She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Piccolo and I were talking on the way back, and, well, we think Gohan's old enough to start training, too."

Her anxiety and sorrow immediately went away, exploding in an intense anger. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! I WILL NOT HAVE MY SON TURNING INTO A MEAT-HEADED DELINQUENT!"

Goku looked back at Piccolo and shrugged. He had a look on his face as if he knew that response was coming. Piccolo just rolled his eyes. He laughed, awkwardly. "Well, if you don't want to do that, then maybe you can start training!"

Her mood shifted back into shock. "Me?"

"Yeah. We were gonna tell you about it, anyway, but if you don't want Gohan to start training and fighting with us, then you should, instead."

"But… but why? It's been so long, since I last fought anyone. You don't expect me to go and fight alongside you, do you?"

Piccolo was growing tired of her contrariety, "If you won't let Gohan train, then how do you expect him to be safe, if the androids attack? Neither of us will be here to protect him. If you aren't the one to do that, then who will?"

"I can take care of my son just fine!"

"Not if those androids find you and take you out, first. If this threat is too much for either of us to handle, right now, then you wouldn't stand a chance. You told Goku to think about your son: how about you do the same. Either you train or he does, Chi-Chi: your choice."

As blunt and harsh as those words were, Piccolo knew that nothing else would get through to her. He might love her, but her stubbornness made her hard to reason with. Now that he had pulled that card on her, he knew he had her in a corner: the angered look on her face told him that much.

Wanting to ease some of that anger, Goku stepped in. "Hey, if you're worried about being out of practice, don't. You remember our fight, all those years ago: you gave me a real challenge. We can get that back, and then some. Come on, it'll be just like old times."

Chi-Chi's expression softened, and she sighed. "Fine. I'll do it. But just for Gohan. You better not go back on your promises."

"We won't let you down!"

* * *

Yamcha, Krillin, and Tien Shinhan made their way to Kame House, picking up a few of their friends along the way. Krillin was the one to inform all of the others about what they had been told – in a year's time, some menace would attack. If he escaped, then he'd release an even worse menace that would kill them all.

"You're saying there's a guy out there strong enough to take down Goku," Oolong shouted.

Krillin nodded. "I didn't want to believe it, but Piccolo sounded serious about it. We might have met our match."

"Not if we prepare for him," Yamcha countered. "Master Roshi, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but could you start training us, again? If we can get stronger in a years-time, we might be able to put a stop to him."

Roshi looked down at the table, stroking his beard. "I'm afraid there's little I could do for any of you, now."

Tien seemed shocked. "What? There has to be. You've been around for so long. Surely, you have something left."

"You boys have grown stronger than I ever thought possible. Your skills have long surpassed mine. I couldn't teach you anything that you don't already know yourselves. If this enemy were as strong as you said, then any of my skills would be useless against it. I'm sorry, but there's just nothing I can do."

That revelation hit the Earth warriors hard. When even the great Master Roshi was powerless to teach them anything, what hope did they have? What use was this premonition if they weren't able to prepare for it? The situation was becoming more grim and hopeless by the second.

"This isn't good," Oolong said. "If none of you have anything, then what's stopping this robot guy from turning us into pork chops?!"

Puar threw himself onto Yamcha, sobbing into his lap. "Oh, Yamcha! What are we gonna do? I don't wanna lose you!"

Chiaotzu looked down at the ground, solemnly. Tien put his hand on his back. "I say we still train," he said, to everyone. "Even if things look bad, we can still get stronger. Just look at Goku – he's always pushing himself to his limits. If we can do the same, then Gero won't stand a chance."

Krillin stood up. "You're right. I'm through with standing back and letting things happen. We should take charge and try to fight this, together."

"Count me in, too," Yamcha said."

The brief moment of motivation was cut off by yelling, from outside. "Hey! Hey!" The warriors looked back at Master Roshi, who just shrugged. He wasn't expecting any visitors, today.

Krillin walked to the door, and opened it. "Haven't you heard of knocking?" A short and stout man with long black hair was standing on the porch of Kame House, with a sword strapped to his back. Krillin nodded. "Oh yeah, you're, you're… what's your name, again?"

"It's Yajirobe! You know that! Stop asking stupid questions! Anyways, Korin told me to tell you to report to the lookout for special training."

"Hold on, you mean the Korin?"

"Fat white cat, staff, always has his eyes closed, pushy and rude: that's the one. Also told you to bring, uh, Lambchop and Ten-somebody. Whatever, you know who I'm talking about. You're supposed to come to the lookout to train for some stupid androids with Kami." When the others didn't respond, he groaned. He couldn't care less about running errands for Korin. "Look, just show up to the Lookout. Or don't. Do whatever you want." He walked back to his car. He quickly got back in and drove off, without another word.

"Hey," Krillin said. "Maybe we will have a chance, after all!"

Tien looked shocked, by the announcement. "Training with Kami… we all saw how strong Goku was, after his training."

"Yeah, and we're probably stronger now than he was, back then," Yamcha boasted. "If we start now, then those tin cans won't stand a chance!"

And so, with a renewed sense of hope, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien left Kame House, heading straight for the Lookout. If they worked hard, they could speed through this training like nothing. And if they got stronger, then they could only imagine how much stronger Goku was going to be.

The Earth warriors had only a year left to prepare for these androids. Every second of every day counted. They had to make the most out of whatever time they had left, and hope that it would be enough to stand a chance against them.

Unknown to them, another far-off planet was experiencing a crisis of their own, as a different menace threatening their own population. And unknown to both of them, their stories would converge in the worst way possible.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello, everyone! Another update is here for you all! So, I think this story might be taking a short break while I get more chapters sorted out. Don't worry, if you don't see a new chapter next week - that's probably the reason why. If I get it done early, maybe, but until then, enjoy! Thank you for your continued support with your comments and favorites.

* * *

 **Planet Vegeta**

Raditz sighed, as he looked through the flight transcript book once more. He had held out hope for so long that maybe he had overlooked something. Maybe he missed something on his last read-through. If he looked through it one more time, he would have a breakthrough. And yet he wasn't any closer to finding his little brother than he was, before.

He closed the book and held his forehead. Why did he even try, anymore? Even if he did find out where Kakarot was sent, how would he find him from there? He didn't even know what he looked like, and even if he had, he could have looked completely different by now. He didn't even know if he was still alive. Saiyan babies were stronger than most, but still – a tiny infant living on his own on a faraway planet? The odds of survival were slim, at best.

He shook his head. Even if Kakarot was dead, he at least wanted closure. He at least wanted to know what became of him. Then he could finally move on with his life, after two decades of wondering.

 _"Raditz, be careful! I just mopped!"_

 _Young Raditz stopped his running and looked down, sheepishly. "Sorry, mother…"_

 _Raditz's mother s_ _hook her head, as her son walked to where she sat down. She tossed his hair. "Now, remember what I told you. When your little brother gets here, you'll have to set a good example for him."_

 _His eyes widened. "Brother? Are you sure?"_

 _She nodded, as she rubbed her rounded stomach. "I have a feeling it's going to be a boy."_

 _Raditz stared at his mother's stomach, in awe. "Wow. I can't wait to meet him." A little brother meant that he could train with him, and they could get stronger, together. It was going to be so cool._

 _"I've always liked the name Kakarot. What do you think?"_

 _He nodded, enthusiastically. It sounded like the name of a true warrior. It made him even more excited about his little brother's arrival. He hoped that it would happen, soon._

 _When he heard his mother sigh, he looked back up. She had a somber look in her eyes, and she was staring right through him. "Mother? What is it?"_

 _"Nothing, Raditz. I want you to promise me something." He nodded, confused as to why she was acting like this. "I know you're excited about training him and fighting with him, but little brothers need more than that. Promise me that you will look after him. He'll need his big brother around – to help him and teach him about everything. Just promise me that you will. Okay?"_

 _His brother hadn't even been born, yet, and he already felt the weight of this responsibility on his shoulders. Well, if he was going to be a big brother, then he should be the best big brother ever. He nodded. "I will."_

 _She smiled. "I know you will." She lifted Raditz into her lap and nuzzled his cheek. Raditz cringed and tried to push her away, making her laugh._

 _"Mooooother, I'm not a baby, anymore."_

 _"You'll always be my baby, Raditz. My little, tiny baby boy." She squeezed him tighter. Raditz frantically tried to escape, but was smiling and laughing, as well._

 _"Gine."_

 _Raditz looked towards the door and immediately jumped off of his mother. His father stood in the doorway, with a hardened expression in his eyes._

 _Gine put a hand on his shoulder. "Raditz, would you go outside? I'd like to speak to your father, for a moment."_

 _He nodded, and marched towards the door, keeping his head down. He glanced at his father, scowling at him and following his every movement. When he was out of the house, he sighed, in relief. He did not go far, though. He ducked beside the door, to listen to his parents conversations._

 _"You baby him too much."_

 _"He's just a child, Bardock. I won't apologize for letting him be one."_

 _"All you're doing is making him weak."_

 _"Just because you had no childhood doesn't mean that our children won't."_

 _Bardock huffed. "Whatever."_

 _Gine giggled. "So, how was your day, my love?"_

 _"I went to the bazaar, again."_

 _"Oh… and?" Gine's voice was now quiet. Raditz didn't know why. He wanted to get a look and see what was happening, but he didn't want to be caught eavesdropping._

 _He jumped, when he heard something crash onto the floor. When Bardock spoke once more, his voice was tight, as if he was restraining his anger. "Those bastards still won't let us have the incubator. I've thrown every offer we have at them, but they still won't budge."_

 _"I-it'll be alright. Then I'll just have a natural birth. Lots of women still have one. We'll still be fine, even without the fancy tech."_

 _"Are you daft? Do you remember how sick you were, when you had Raditz?! You still aren't as strong as you were!"_

 _Raditz's heart dropped. His mother had been sick, because of him. He knew that she was weaker than most of the other Saiyans, but he didn't know it was because of him. Judging by his father's words, it sounded like she was still sick._

 _Bardock continued. "By the gods, we should have been more careful, with your situation. You can't have another child like this. What if he turns out to be as strong as Raditz was? Gine, I don't want to lose you!"_

 _"You won't. And I hope you aren't implying that we should do away with him. Even if you're scared, I still want this child. Nothing you could say will make me change my mind."_

 _He huffed. "How did I end up with such a sentimental fool like you?"_

 _Raditz tuned out the rest of the conversation, caught up in the horror of these circumstances. Was his mother going to die? That couldn't happen. Saiyans died in battle, proudly fighting for their race. Even if his mother wasn't as strong as the others were, she still fought, before. She couldn't die like this._

 _Had this been why she made the promise?_

 _He clenched his fists, as unshed tears stun his eyes. He wouldn't cry; it would only give his father another reason to call him weak. Now, he had to learn to be strong. As his mother had told him, he had to protect him and teach him everything about the Saiyans._

 _And he was not going to let her down._

His mother had died, giving birth to little Kakarot. His father, angered and distraught by her passing, blamed it on the helpless infant. Before Raditz ever got to meet him, he had been tossed into a pod and sent away to another planet. Ever since that day, he had been continually racked with guilt. If he had been there, he could have stopped it somehow. He had broken his promise, and couldn't even fulfill his mother's final request.

Raditz pinched the bridge of his nose, and shut his eyes. It didn't matter that twenty years had passed since this happened – the pain was still as fresh as it was the day he had found out about it. Perhaps this was why he still searched. Any sort of closure might ease some of it, even if just a little.

He stood up, tossing the book into an empty chair. He left the library with dragging steps. If he kept wallowing in his own misery, he was going to drive himself insane. There was still the smallest bit of hope. If Bulma could get them into the archives, then he could find something there. Sure, the archives were endless and a Saiyan could get lost just through searching them, but that shred of optimism was all he had left.

If he could not find Kakarot, he did not know what he was going to do.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the delay - irl duties have taken priority as of late, so progress on the story hasn't been as fast as I would like. Regardless, please enjoy. All comments as usual are greatly appreciated.

PS - go see Broly!

* * *

"I did it!"

A capsule was dropped in Vegeta's lap, as he tried to eat. He looked up at his girlfriend, with a confused expression.

Bulma pointed at the capsule. "Come on! Open it!"

Vegeta pushed his chair away from the table. She looked so excited for whatever this thing was that he couldn't just tell her to wait until he finished his meal. She was going to be the death of him, one of these days. As she had shown him many times before, he pressed the plunger at the top of the capsule, and threw it onto the ground. In a flash of smoke, the capsule opened.

Lying in the middle of the ground was a normal looking set of spandex and armor. He looked less than amused. "You interrupted my lunch for this," he said, in a deadpan voice.

Bulma pushed him out of his chair and towards it. "Come on! Try it on! It's going to be great – I promise you."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and did as she instructed. As he tried to pick it up, he was surprised by its weight. He grunted, as he managed to lift it off the ground. He needed both arms to hold it properly. When he pulled off his gloves to feel the material, it felt like the spandex he would normally wear. That didn't explain why it felt so heavy.

"I managed to work some liquid metal into the fabric. I didn't want it to be bulky or ill fitting or anything. I did the same thing to the chest plate, too."

When he knelt down to pick that up, as well, his eyes widened – it was even heavier than the spandex. He was not weak, when it came to lifting heavy things, but even this tested his strength.

Bulma walked up, beside him. "Back on Earth, I saw some fighters who wore weighted clothes for training. I figured, if they can do that in training, then imagine how much stronger someone could get if they wore them, all the time. If you wear these every day, even if you're just sitting around, you'll be able to get stronger, in no time. So, you can take it a little easier, when you're training. Plus, with the way the metal goes into the fabric, we can add on more weight, when you get used to it."

It sounded so simple, but no one here had ever thought about it. Getting stronger while doing everyday tasks sounded impossible; then again, he wouldn't expect anything less from her. And if it could work with that, then maybe…

"Can you do the same, with training clothes?"

"I don't see why not."

The added weight during training would push him closer to his goals. He could become the legendary again, in no time. Maybe this was that edge he needed.

He dropped the clothing onto the floor, and spun around, pulling Bulma into a kiss. Her eyes widened in shock, but she eventually wrapped her arms over his shoulders. It was by far the most passionate kiss they had ever shared. Vegeta couldn't think of any other way to express his gratitude. With her help, they could finally put a stop to the senseless murders.

Bulma pushed him away from her, flustered and caught off guard by his gesture. "You're quite welcome," she said, in a breathy voice.

He chuckled. It always amused him how she could go from spitfire to speechless in a matter of seconds. It helped him get payback for all the times she'd catch him off-guard.

She shook her head and cleared her throat. "So, you know how that works. Let me know when you need the weight to be upped or if you're having any issues with it, and… yeah. I'll let you finish your lunch, now." She patted his shoulder, before beginning to run back out of the room.

As she walked past him, his tail coiled around her wrist, stopping her forward motion. "We're going out, tonight."

That was out of character, for him. Normally, she was the one goading him into dates. "Why?"

"Aren't you the one always complaining that we don't go on enough dates, as you call them?"

She sighed. She probably shouldn't complain, if that were the case. "Fair enough. I'll be down in the library. Come find me, when you're ready to go."

"Just don't make me pry you away from a book, when I do."

"I won't. See you in a bit!" Bulma left the room, and the door slid shut behind her.

Vegeta picked up the training uniform, once again. He donned his new uniform, replacing his old. He hadn't notice that the design of the chest plate was different: the shoulder pads were missing, replaced by just a simple strap over his shoulder blades. The shoulder pads could get in the way and were a nuisance to fix, so perhaps this was a more efficient option.

He could feel the weight of the spandex and armor weighting down on him. He found it more difficult to lift his arms up. Bulma had not held back on the weights, yet it did not feel bulky. As he tried to get used to the extra weight, a smirk formed on his face. He doubted that it would take long for him to need an upgrade. The more weight he could carry, the more potential there was to get stronger.

Nothing would stand in his way. And that lowlife killer would rue the day he messed with the Saiyans.

* * *

The scientists in the lab were hard at work, trying to decipher a meaning behind the mysterious object they found in the victim's neck. Pictures of the item were passed around, hoping that one person would know the meaning behind it. Yet, they were no closer to a breakthrough than they were, when it was discovered. There was no sign of the symbol in any Saiyan history book, and none of the Saiyans here recognized it. Not even the scribes could decipher it.

Perhaps this meant that this was not of this world.

At least, that was the idea that one scientist had. A newer recruit had thrown out the idea after days of being stuck in a stalemate. That had gotten the ball rolling once more, and contacts were sent all across the galaxies to all of the planet's most brilliant scientists.

Haricot and the rest of the team, after a long day of contacting various planets, had one left to speak to – Earth. He typed in the coordinates and number for the video chat, and waited for the other end to pick up. The screen flashed, and he was greeted with the visage of an older man with large glasses and a cat perched on his shoulder.

"Dr Brief," he addressed in his usual monotone voice. "I have a question to ask of you."

Brief adjusted his glasses, as he looked at the screen. " _Ah. Haricot, is that right? Good to talk to you, again. What is it you need, my boy?_ "

"We are looking for a meaning to a symbol. It is not of our world."

Though he responded, Brief was reading a blueprint. " _Is it? Well, I'd be happy to help, if I can. Just send it my way, and I'll take a gander at it._ "

"That is what we wanted to hear. The image will be delivered to you soon. Thank you, Doctor."

He waved his hand, as he tapped his cigarette butt against an ashtray. " _Oh, it's no problem, at all. Hey, how has my daughter been doing, since she got back? I keep waiting for her to call, but haven't gotten anything, yet._ "

There were groans from around the room, though Haricot was not one of them. "I do not keep tabs on Bulma, Doctor. She was working on a personal project, last time she came in here."

He laughed. " _Of course she is. Well, when I get it, I'll let you know what I think. Toodles!_ " Dr. Brief hit a button on the keyboard, shutting off the transmission.

"Personal project," one of the scientists said. "While we're working on ending these murders, she gets to work on a personal project? Why do you let her get away with that?"

"Bulma outsources everything herself and is not reliant on the lab. Science is not her duty, in this palace."

Another scientist responded. "Why do you keep giving her special treatment? Maybe Okra was right. No wonder you fired her."

"Okra is gone because of unconventional and inhumane conduct. Letting her continue would have put our entire operation at risk. As long as Bulma continues to abide by our rules and only joins projects when requested, we have no reason not to let her continue with her projects. If any of you disagree, you can take it up with me another day." His voice began to raise the smallest amount. "Until then, we'll continue with our investigation. Is that clear?"

The scientists nodded in agreement, not wanting to push Haricot any further.

"Alright," he said, his voice returned to its usual low monotone. "Our investigations will pause for now until we hear back from the remaining worlds. This meeting is now adjourned."

* * *

"End training simulation."

The lights came up and the shields on the wall rose, once more. King Vegeta and Nappa exhaled, as they stretched and relaxed their aching muscles. Nappa hit a panel on the wall with his fists, releasing the drawer of towels. He grabbed one and tossed the other to the king.

"Your majesty," Nappa said. "I think you've improved."

"That's what I like to hear," the king said, as he wiped his brow. A proud smirk was on his face.

"To be honest, I didn't think you still had it in you. If Cauli were here, she'd be jumping you right about now."

The king laughed. That comment brought back a lot of memories. The year after the war against the Tuffles was eventful for the both of them, to be sure. He was still surprised that Vegeta ended up being his only son.

"Nappa, pray tell: why can't I say the same for you?"

He raised a brow. "Are you asking why Cauli didn't want to jump me?"

"No, of course not. Why can't I say the same about any mate of yours? Why haven't you courted? I've been waiting for it to happen as long as I've known you, but it never has."

Nappa shrugged, as he tossed his towel behind his neck. "I've had no interest in it."

"Oh, come now. Surely, there must have been one Saiyan you've been smitten by. Cauli used to tell me how much of a heartbreaker you were back in her village."

He snorted. "If I had a soul mate like you had with Cauli, I think I would have met her, by now. Besides, I've been a bachelor for this long – why stop now?" The two Saiyans left the training room, heading towards the showers.

The king put a hand over his shoulder. "Perhaps you haven't been looking far enough. I thought my son was hopeless in love. But Bulma came along and proved me wrong. Maybe you should start outsourcing your quest, too."

"You're suggesting I shop around at every planet. I don't think I could keep up with my duties, in the meantime."

He shook his head. "I swear, you're a stubborn ass, sometimes. Just keep your options open and it may come to you. You're still a strong, good looking Saiyan – it'd be easy for you to find an interested party."

"Vegeta, are you coming onto me?"

The king groaned, and took his arm off of him. "Look, take my suggestion or don't. You don't have to be such a smart-aleck about it."

Nappa chuckled, as he shook his head. Maybe if they were still young, he would have taken his advice, but his time had long since passed. He wasn't the young, dashing Saiyan he was, in his youth. Even by Saiyan standards, he wasn't the most attractive man around. Besides, he had kept himself too busy with his other duties to sit down and find himself a mate. He was perfectly content this way.

* * *

Bulma met up with Vegeta, next to the castle doors. She looked pleased, to see him wearing his new suit. "How do you like it," she said, as she looped her arm around his.

"I think you may have been onto something."

"Aren't I always?"

He snorted. He looked down at her. She was wearing one of those frilly pink dresses she picked up on their last trip to Earth. He didn't even understand how she could walk in that thing – the skirt dragged on the floor. Plus, she always insisted on wearing those heels, anytime they went out together. Vegeta was never going to fully understand Earth women; he had accepted that quite some time ago.

Not that she didn't look ravishing, of course.

He pulled Bulma alongside him, as they left the castle. The guards saluted him, as he walked past them; he just gave them a nod. A thought occurred to him, as he walked through the gates, and he snorted.

"What," she asked.

"Still can't believe I had to climb over the palace walls to come out here, before."

She nodded. "Maybe it's a good thing that you had to."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't have met me, after all." She kissed his cheek.

He blushed and looked down. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered.

"So, what did you have in mind, for tonight?"

"You'll see when we get to the damn place."

She put her hands up. "Okay, okay, sheesh."

Vegeta led Bulma through the city, taking quiet roads to avoid large crowds of Saiyans; they did not want to get ambushed by a crowd of admirers, again. All members of the court were required to travel with a bodyguard – all except Vegeta. As he was the strongest Saiyan on the planet, there was no need for any other protection. As for Bulma, most were confident that he'd protect her if something went amuck.

They ended up at a small establishment at the end of a quiet street. It was a small restaurant, housed in an old stone hut. The place was mostly bereft of activity, with only a few guests scattered around the room. The atmosphere was more casual than she would have expected; Bulma began to feel a tad overdressed, for the occasion.

A server walked up to greet them, cleaning a dish with a dirty rag. He nearly dropped it, when he recognized the two of them. He cut his introductions short and immediately escorted them to a seat.

Bulma glanced around, as she scooted her chair forward. "This place is homier than I thought your taste would be. I mean, I like it, but I was expecting something more ritzy or glamorous. You know, for a prince and stuff."

Vegeta scoffed. "You should know I don't care for such frivolous things. Besides, you're only paying for the experience, there; the food is garbage."

She laughed. "That sounds like something my sister would say. But how did you even find this place? I don't think anyone would go looking for restaurants, all the way out here."

"Raditz dragged me out here, once. Said one of his ex-girlfriends ran this place. And that's exactly why we're here. No one would come searching for us all the way out here. We can have a quiet evening with just the two of us."

She lifted her hand to her chest, with a grin on her face. "My, how romantic of you. You know how to make a girl swoon, don't you?"

"You are still here, after all."

Their dinner together was just as perfect as it could be. No distractions, no interruptions, and no worries. They could forget about all of their problems and just be with each other, for once. The hours ticking by felt like mere minutes. In the back of her head, Bulma knew that moments like these were fleeting. Eventually, they couldn't have outings like this, anymore. Once Vegeta became king, all of that would be thrown out of the window. While it filled her with dread to think about, it made her want to enjoy every peaceful moment that she could with her boyfriend.

While they were wrapped up in each other, a figure in the corner watched with pure contempt. She could not see a young couple's joy and amour – she just saw an overly privileged, gold-digging, lowlife, Earthling bitch faking smiles to satisfy and please her only claim to fame and relevance. She was lucky he was too oblivious to notice anything different.

She hated Bulma. Ever since she came along, she had ruined whatever integrity her field had left, with her absent-minded "genius". How could someone act like a mindless airhead most of the time and still get heaps of praise thrown onto her? Because she was screwing the prince.

Sure, she might have stopped Frieza, but she was the one who caused all of it to begin with. She gave him that ball that granted wishes. She dressed up as a Saiyan and pretended to be one just to be a princess. Yet, everyone forgot about that. Even the king, himself, was far too forgiving. What did they all see in her? What made her so special? From day one, she couldn't understand it.

She downed another glass of beer to having her night ruined by seeing her face, again. The only consolation prize from being terminated should have been that she'd never have to see her sneering smile or hear her nasally voice again. And yet she came to her, once more.

She would have normally kept her violent instincts to herself, but there was little she wouldn't give to see her life torn away from her. To tear those obnoxious blue locks of hair out of her head one by one. To drop chemicals into her blue eyes until she went blind. To watch as her humanity was slowly drained out of her, and all she could do was writhe and scream.

Her eyes stayed glued on Bulma from the moment she entered until the moment she left. Even in her hatred or maybe because of her hatred, she couldn't look away. She was lucky that Vegeta had not left her side the entire time; she might have acted on her thoughts. How disappointing.

"In due time, Okra," she whispered, as she breathed in and out slowly. "She'll get what's coming to her."

* * *

"Oh, that was wonderful," Bulma said, as she leaned against Vegeta. They had left the restaurant and were now going on a quiet stroll. "We need to come back, sometime. Maybe Nappa or Raditz can tag along, too!"

Vegeta shrugged. "If it's what you want, then I can make it happen."

She stopped in front of him, and put her hands on his chest. "Have I ever said thank you? For everything?"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. Where the hell did this come from? "What do you mean?"

"You're just so good to me. You've done so much to help me adjust to here. I… I just love you, Vegeta." She smiled. "And I don't know how I can ever repay you for all you've given me."

To say that he was touched by her sentiment was an understatement. She had always expressed her appreciation, but this was more than just simple approval; it was gratefulness. He never understood how one person could express so much emotion to another, but as he had been learning, expression might not be such a bad thing. It showed trust to come out and say something like that.

However, he much preferred to show his appreciation through action.

As he leaned in to kiss her, a blood-curdling scream echoed in the empty street. Vegeta could feel someone's energy dropping like a stone, but no other energies near them. Within seconds, he took off running in that direction. Bulma yelled for him, but he didn't listen. He had to see this, for himself.

"Vegeta, wait!" Bulma ran after him, having trouble traversing in her heels and dress. Eventually, she just kicked her shoes off and ran in her bare feet, holding her dress up with both hands. "Vegeta!" Along the way, she missed a step, tripped, and fell onto her stomach, hitting the rough pavement of the road.

Before she could try to get up, once more, there was another scream – one of a raging warrior. There was a blinding bright light, and something flew up into the sky, out of an alleyway. Bulma covered her face, as debris blew in her direction. When the dust settled, she stood, slowly, brushing the skirt of her dress. She walked towards the alley, to see what had gotten Vegeta so worked up. She braced herself, holding onto her skirt tightly, when she turned the corner to see what had happened.

Her stomach dropped, and bile rose up into her throat. Bulma covered her mouth and nearly gagged. A Saiyan woman was lying on the ground, her eyes completely white and blood coming out of her open mouth. She was not moving or even twitching; she was a lifeless corpse. She didn't even know her name, but she was disturbed and saddened to no end. Tears stung her eyes, though she just couldn't look away.

A cold chill ran up her spine. It felt as if she was being watched. Slowly, she turned around to look over her shoulder. In the dark shadows of the night, she could make out a figure perched onto a windowsill staring down at her. It was dressed completely in black, blending into its surroundings like a chameleon.

The only visible part of it was the eyes: a pair of cold, black eyes without a speck of life shining in them. Not since Frieza, had she felt so petrified staring into someone's eyes. The figure tilted its head to the side, not blinking or looking away from her. Her heart raced, and she slowly began to back away.

But, before she could contemplate running, she blinked and the figure was gone. Bulma frantically looked around, trying to find any sign of it. She ran out back into the street, but all she was met with was silence. Bulma's chest heaved, and she began to panic. She was all alone with a murdered corpse and a possible killer in the vicinity. She ran her fingers through her hair and just started running, hoping that someone, anyone would be nearby to help. She wasn't going in any direction or heading towards anything specific; any place would be better than here.

* * *

"Did any of you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Like shaking and a big rush of energy."

One of them snorted. "Nappa, I think you've had enough to drink. Didn't realize you were such a lightweight." He clumsily took his glass away and downed the rest of it in one gulp, making the rest of the group cheer.

That wasn't enough to satiate Nappa's curiosity. It couldn't have been the booze talking. He pushed himself out of his chair and went back out the front door of the bar. He ignored his fellow generals' jeering and teasing. He knew that he felt something, and he needed to figure out what it was.

As he began to head in that direction, someone turned a corner and ran square into his chest. The wind was knocked out of him, and he staggered backwards. He put his hand on his stomach, as he tried to catch his breath. Whomever he ran into was knocked down to the ground. Before he was about to yell at them to watch where they were walking, he looked down and realized who he had run into.

"Bulma," He knelt down in front of her. "Are you okay? You should have been more careful about where you were running." He chuckled, but then he noticed how panicked she looked. She hadn't even looked at him, yet – her eyes were looking all around her. When he put his hands on her shoulders, she jumped, before she realized it was Nappa. She nearly threw herself against him, sobbing into his chest. Not knowing what to do, he put a hand on her back, letting her cry and hold onto him.

He could only wonder what had happened to her. Bulma didn't scare easily. Whatever it was, it must have been bad. Though that didn't explain why she was out here, all by herself. She was a high-enough figure to require a bodyguard anytime she went out of the palace.

"Bulma," he said. "What happened?"

She choked on her own words, as she tried to speak. "I saw it. It was standing right in front of me, and I saw it."

"What did you see? I can't help unless I know what 'it' is."

"I saw… there was another murder. A-and I saw the killer."


	9. Chapter 9

Nappa immediately alerted the others about the most recent casualty, telling them that Bulma had seen it. When they tried to get answers out of her, she was still too shocked and panicked to reply. He stepped in, urging them to back off until she calmed down. Word had already made it back to the king, by the time they had returned to the palace.

He breathed a sigh of relief, when he saw his daughter-in-law, again. "Oh, thank the gods you're okay. Nappa, thank you for helping her, when you did; it was a miracle that you were there."

"No thanks are necessary, your majesty."

"Bulma, do you think you can tell us what happened? If you saw the killer, it could help us put a stop to all of this."

She breathed out. "I don't really want to think about it, your majesty. Maybe another time, but not now." She was still firmly glued to Nappa's side, where she felt safe.

"That's alright. When you're ready, I'll gather the council and let you speak your piece in front of them. I don't know what you were doing out there, all by yourself, but I'm glad you're okay."

She frantically shook her head. "No, no I wasn't alone. I-I was out with Vegeta, a-and it all just… happened, while we were down there, together."

"Vegeta was with you?" The king blinked in shock and looked at Nappa. "Did you see him, when you found her?"

"No. When she ran into me, she was alone," Nappa looked just as surprised as the king was. The rumbling he felt might have come from him. Though it was much unlike him, to just up and abandon Bulma, if that were the case.

The king thought the same thing. "I'll be going out. See to it that word of this doesn't get out until I return. I don't want to cause panic so soon."

"Will do, your majesty."

"I shall return by daybreak. If you learn of anything new, hold your tongue until I am back." The king walked past them, and out of the palace doors. He powered up and flew away, in an unknown direction.

"Where is he going," Bulma asked.

"To find Vegeta, I'd suppose."

She gasped. "Oh god, Vegeta. I forgot about… I have to go with him. I have to make sure he's okay."

Before she could run out the palace doors, Nappa stopped her. "Bulma, Bulma, stop. Vegeta wouldn't want you to run yourself ragged, for his sake. Let the king handle this, for now. When he gets back, then you'll see that he's okay."

"But I…" She sighed, and relented. "Okay. I won't."

* * *

King Vegeta was grateful that he had learned to sense other's energies, in his past year of training. Otherwise, he wouldn't know where to start looking for his son. He had flown off deep into the badlands, leaving the palace and the city far behind him. When he looked down below, he saw a large crater had been formed in the dirt. When he looked up, he saw a small figured standing on the edge of a cliff. The king landed several feet behind him, and approached him. He did not turn around or acknowledge his presence, as he did so.

"Well, at least I know that you're alright," he said.

"You know."

He sighed, exasperated. "Yes, yes, I do. I figured that was why you were all the way out here." He didn't respond. As he looked over the landscape, he chuckled. "This place brings back memories. Your mother and I used to sneak out to places like this, under your grandfather's nose. Oh, we'd spar, and feast, and-"

"Okay, father, I get the idea." Vegeta shuddered in disgust just thinking about what he could have said.

The king smiled for a moment, before frowning, again. "Now, Vegeta, we must return to the palace. I promised Bulma I would have you back by daybreak."

Vegeta exhaled, when he heard her name. In his rage, he had forgotten about her. She was probably worried sick, over him. Not that she didn't have reason to feel that way – he did leave her without another word. "Is she safe?"

"Yes, but she's lucky she ran into Nappa, when she did. Poor girl might have been in hysterics."

He finally looked over his shoulder. "Did she see it?"

"That's not in my place to tell you, my son. You can ask her yourself, when we return."

Father and son returned to the palace in the early hours of the morning. Vegeta was rushed by the scientists as soon as he entered the gates, wanting to know what had happened. He pushed past them, not caring or wanting to deal with them. For the moment, he had other priorities to attend.

When he reached their room, he saw that Nappa was standing guard at the door. The general nodded at him, stepping past to let him inside; he left to go greet the king, once more. Vegeta opened the door to his room and shut it just as quickly, making sure to lock it behind him.

Bulma was reading a book in a dark corner of the room, trying to keep herself calm as she slowly read every word in her head. An hour had passed since she returned to the palace, and she was still freaking out about everything she had seen. She didn't even notice when the door opened and closed, trying to focus on the book and keep her hands from shaking so much.

She jumped in her seat, when someone touched her hands. She let out a breath of relief, when she realized it was Vegeta. She dropped the book and stood up to embrace him. He returned it in kind.

"Vegeta," she said. "I… I saw it."

He nodded. "I know," he muttered. "I shouldn't have run out on you, like that."

"No, not just that. Not just the murder." She pushed herself away from him, to look him in the eyes. "I saw the person who did it."

His jaw dropped. "You what?"

"After you flew away, I went to the scene, and… he was standing right there, staring at me. He didn't do or say anything, but I was so scared. And when I blinked, he just disappeared. He could be anywhere, Vegeta. What are we going to do?"

It was no wonder why she was such a nervous wreck. If he had that same encounter, he'd be watching his back constantly. A thought occurred to him: if the killer had been there when Bulma checked up on the scene, then he must have been there before he flew off. He hadn't even felt his energy. The coward had been right under his nose the entire time, and he hadn't done anything. Dammit, if he had stayed, then he could have put a stop to it all.

"Bulma, do you remember what he looked like?"

"H-he was dressed all in black. None of his skin was showing. He could have completely blended in with the shadows. The only thing that was uncovered were his eyes. They were… they were completely black. I couldn't even see any light in them."

"Are you sure that was him?"

"Who else could it have been," she screamed at him. "All black ninja get-ups aren't really in style, this season!"

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Alright, alright, I get it. Bulma, you have to tell this to everyone. It might not be much, but it might lead us to more clues, later on."

Bulma was getting obviously frustrated with this. "Your father told me the same thing. I know. I just don't want to think about it, right now."

"Fine. But you'll have to do it eventually. Delaying it won't make it go away."

"Yeah…" She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I just want this to end."

"When I become the legendary again, it will end."

Bulma only nodded, knowing she couldn't talk him out of this. "Just… be careful. Please."

The young couple held each other in silence, as dusk turned into dawn. This threat had come too close to them, this time. And as long as that killer was out there, no one was safe.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Bulma agreed to speak her piece about what happened to the council. Scientists that were investigating the case were present, as well. As she sat outside of the meeting hall, she held onto her forehead and took deep breaths. She was dreading telling everyone about what happened. She was expecting some snide comments from the people that didn't like her. She had hoped to ask Vegeta if he could come along, but he had left before she woke up. She didn't want to interrupt his training – not when he was even more determined to do so than he was, before.

The door to the meeting room opened. One of the council members looked down at her. She stood up, smoothed out her skirt and walked into the meeting room. The table was more crowded than it usually was, with the scientists sitting in on the meeting. She took her seat at the end of the table, squeezing in between two burly men.

Haricot stood up to speak. Another scientist went around the room, handing out packets of paper to the present men. "According to our reports, the victim was found lying face down in an alleyway located near Route Nineteen. In accordance with previous victims, there were no sign of a murder weapon or a point of violation on the victim's body. We did discover a small cylinder in the victim's neck – identical to the one from the last victim.

"However, unlike last time, we were able to gather the smallest piece of evidence. If you will turn to page three in the handouts we provided, you will see a photograph of a small strand of dark hair. It is currently being analyzed for a specific species. And, unlike last time, we have an eyewitness to the events. Bulma of Earth was present in the area, out for a leisurely night with friends. Time had been given for her to collect herself, but now she has chosen to speak of her experience."

"Thank you, Haricot," the king said. "Bulma, you may proceed with your testimony."

As Haricot sat down, Bulma slowly stood up. She looked around the room at the critical and serious glares pointed in her direction. She swallowed, and straightened her back, as she began to tell her story.

"I was out by Route Nineteen with Prince Vegeta on a date: we went to a small restaurant nearby. We were leaving and heading somewhere else, when we heard a scream. Vegeta went running towards it, but I couldn't keep up with him. I fell, before I could get any further. The next thing I knew, he had taken off into the sky, away from the alley. I went to see what was going on, but the victim was already dead.

"Then, I got a feeling that I was being watched somewhere. I can't explain it, but I felt like I had eyes drilling a hole into the back of my head. When I turned around… there he was: the killer. He didn't say anything to me or even do anything: he just sat on the edge of a window and stared at me. When I blinked, he was gone. After that, I just started running. I accidentally ran into Nappa and told him what had happened."

"Nappa, can you attest for this?"

"Yes I can," he said. "I had heard something and went out to see what was going on. Then, I found Bulma, just as she said."

The king nodded. "Now, Bulma, can you tell us anything about the killer?"

"He was dressed completely in black. His entire body was concealed in an all-black disguise. He could have been a part of the dark, and I might not have known any better. The only thing I could see was his eyes. They were completely black – no light coming shining in them and no emotions in them. His gaze… it felt like he was staring right into my soul."

"Is that all you're able to tell us?"

"Yes. He disappeared, before I could notice anything else."

One of the scientists was hard at work sketching up what she believed the killer looked like. When she finished, she hit her pencil on the paper. "Does this ring any bells for you?" She turned it around to face her. She had only drawn the eyes, but it was enough to make Bulma nervous.

"Y-yes. Those are the ones."

There was a knock on the door. A scientist burst through and bowed to the council members. "The tests on the hair strand are complete, sir!" He ran over to Haricot, shoved the documents into his hands, and ran back out the door.

Haricot opened the documents and looked over them. His eyebrow rose slightly. "Interesting..."

"What is it," one of the councilmen said. "Do we know who it is?"

"No, but we have narrowed down a species. This isn't the work of a Saiyan, to be sure – it's from a foreign force."

Another councilman pounded his fist on the table. "It's one of those Frost Demons, isn't it?! The Colds are behind this, I just know it! Who else would try something like this?!"

"No, no hint of a Frost Demon anywhere. If this information is correct and this sample is from the killer, then he is actually an Earthling."

Bulma's eyes widened. "What? But… but how?"

"The hair strand was matched up to a variety of different races – Earthling was a perfect match."

The information was passed to her, so she could look at it herself. "That… that can't be right. There has to be a mistake." She didn't want to think that someone from her planet could have caused this.

"Why not," Chini asked. "Just because it's your race means they can't do these horrible things? Is your race above that and higher than the rest of us?"

"N-no, it's just-"

"Just what? Just that they don't do that, to their own kind. Maybe there was a reason this murderer spared you, hmm?"

"Chini," the king admonished.

"Is it not something to consider? Why would the murderer spare her, if he killed every Saiyan he's come across?"

"That's a load of horseshit," Bulma said. "Vegeta was there, too, and he didn't do anything to him. He didn't even realize he was there – he had the opportunity to kill him, but he didn't."

Another council member chimed in. "How do you know this?"

"I was right there, when it happened! Vegeta told me, too! Besides, why would the killer leave when Vegeta showed up and climb back down, when I did? It'd make more sense if he were just there the entire time! It's simple logic!"

"There's no need for you to get so defensive, Bulma," Chini said, in a mocking tone. "Guilty conscience, perhaps?"

"That is quite enough," the king yelled. "Chini, we have spoken several times about your conduct. If I have to warn you about it one more time, you will be forced to resign your seat. Do I make myself clear?"

One of the scientists snorted. "Just like Okra. If this were about any other person in this room, this wouldn't be an issue. But because it's her, there has to be a whole issue about it."

Bulma couldn't believe what she had heard. As she looked around the room, she saw people actually nodding, in agreement. She never realized how many people in this court didn't like her. Her image of the palace as her home was crumbling, before her eyes. She thought that she had been accepted long ago, but that just wasn't the case. And the fact that they were willing to talk back to the king…

Just how many other people in this palace hated her, too?

No one wanted to calm down and talk rationally, after that comment. The king had no choice but to adjourn the meeting. Bulma let herself out first, not wanting to look anyone of them in the eyes. She could hear some snide snickering and whispers directed towards her. She wondered how many times this happened, before. She might have been oblivious to it once, but now she couldn't ignore it.

Maybe she should have stayed on Namek, all those years ago.

* * *

A welcome distraction from her recent revelations came, that afternoon. Earlier that week, Bulma had managed to snag an appointment in the archives for vague research purposes. When she had told Raditz, he was overjoyed. Now, they sat in the dark and deep sanctums of the archives, lit only by candlelight. They sifted their way through dozens of individual pod flight documents. They brought the book down with them to compare them. They had found a few transcripts that were not listed in the book, though none of them rang a bell for Raditz.

However, there were still thousands of documents to go through. It could have taken them weeks to go through them all.

"Hey," Bulma said, "Do you remember what time of year it was, when your brother was born?"

"It was early in the summer. That's all I remember."

Bulma thumbed through the documents, looking for the first summer month of the year. When she found it, she set the other documents aside and began reading through them individually.

"Come over here for a second."

Raditz hopped off of his stool and leaned in over her shoulder. "What'd you find?"

"It's documenting a stolen pod. I guess that would explain why they'd leave it out of the transcripts."

"May I see it?" She handed the document off to him.

This whole situation made Bulma curious about something. "So, Saiyans used to send out their babies?"

"Back in the ancient times. When a Saiyan was seen as weak, they were left on their own to fend for themselves. If they managed to survive, they could form their own groups with the other outcasts. People tried to do that with the pods, once we reached Planet Vegeta, but after the wars with the Tuffles, it wasn't practical. There were few of us, as is – we couldn't afford to lose our infants. The king banned it, decades ago."

That would explain why someone would have to steal a pod. She couldn't imagine how cruel a parent had to be to send a helpless baby away, like that. Maybe it was a necessary evil, in times of famine or crisis, but in this situation, it was just vindictive.

She shook her head. No use in dwelling on the past – what was done was done. "What do you think about this one? Any closer?" She didn't get a respond. "Raditz?"

Raditz was staring down at the document with wide eyes. He scanned over the paper several times, to make sure that he reading it right. Everything matched up to his memories – the time of year, the nature of the launch, and even the time of day. Nothing contradicted what he knew, already.

"This... this is it. I-It has to be..."

Bulma stood up from her chair. "You think so?" She looked down at the bottom of the document, memorizing the coordinates listed there. She pulled out a small notebook out of her back pocket and thumbed through it, looking for the corresponding planet. "Wow, what a coincidence."

"What? What is it?"

"According to the coordinates in this book, that pod ended up on Earth. Weird. I didn't think you all knew about us, back then."

Raditz grabbed Bulma by her shoulders and shook her. "Do you know Kakarot?! Did you ever meet him?! Do you know where he is?!"

She pushed against him, to stop his shaking, putting her head on her forehead from dizziness. "Earth is a big planet, Raditz. We have seven billion people on it. I don't know everyone."

"Do you think there's a chance he could still be alive?!"

"I guess. It depends on where he landed. If he was near a populated city, I'm sure someone would have taken him in. If it was in the middle of a forest, then not so much luck with that, I'm guessing. But yeah, there's a chance."

He stood back, and ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes were wide, in bewilderment and excitement. "There's a chance… there's a chance!" A large grin formed on his face, as he laughed. "Oh, yes! There's a chance!" He abruptly picked Bulma up, crushing her in a bear hug and spinning her around. "Thank you, Bulma! I didn't think I'd ever find him, without you!"

She laughed, awkwardly, as she tried to push his chest to loosen his grip. "Yeah, it's no problem, Raditz."

He practically dropped her back onto the ground. "Do you know when you're gonna be back on Earth?"

"I don't know. Not for a couple more months, I'm guessing. I'll be sure to do some digging for him while I'm there, though."

"Thank you so much! I couldn't have done this, without you!" Raditz ran up the stairs and back out the doors to the archives, feeling elated. He didn't think that it would happen. He thought that he would come across another dead end. But somehow, they managed to find something. He was one-step closer to finding Kakarot.

Now, all he could do was hope that he was okay.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you for all of your comments, and reviews. Enjoy!

* * *

Things had not gotten better since the new facts were dropped into their laps.

Bulma had begun to notice the way everyone stared at her, in suspicion. No one said or did anything to her, but they did little to hide their derision for her. She found herself less inclined to go around the palace alone, anymore. Either Raditz or Nappa would be by her side most of the time. It added even more pressure and stress onto her, on top of the murders. More and more were discovered, over the course of the next month. Soon, the king had declared a state of emergency, enforcing a curfew and sending more soldiers into the city, for protection.

To make matters worse, Vegeta had been growing more and more frustrated that he hadn't been able to regain his legendary form. Bulma tried to compensate for it with the weighted armor, but that did little to resolve his anguish. He had begun training harder for longer hours, and she sometimes went days without seeing him for more than a few minutes. She had grown worried for his health. When she asked, he would just shrug and kiss her cheek, assuring her that he was fine. However, she could see differently – his posture had gotten worse, recently, and his responses were slower than normal. Everything happening all at once was overwhelming her.

Bulma had been walking with Nappa, one afternoon. She voiced some of her concerns about Vegeta and everything that had happened, in the recent months.

"He says he's okay, but I know he's probably just saying that." She sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't know what I should do. I don't think I could keep him from his training now, of all times."

"That sounds about right," Nappa said. "Vegeta's stubborn, that's for sure."

She sat down on a small bench. "Do you think I'm worrying, too much? With everything going on, I don't want to burden him anymore."

"You're just concerned, is all." Nappa sat down next to her. "I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But you don't have to become neurotic. He's still a grown Saiyan, after all, and he's taken care of himself for this long. Just be there, for him, if he ever does need help. If you think something's going really wrong, then just talk to him."

She nodded, and pushed her curls back. "You're right. Like my dad always says: day at a time."

"Sound advice, if you ask me."

Bulma smiled. A thought came to her, randomly. "You know what, Nappa? You'd make a great dad. You're a good listener and you don't get upset easily. And you do plenty of that stuff for us – you'd be a natural!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Thank… you?"

"I mean it. I was surprised when I found out you weren't. What gives? Just haven't found the right girl, or what?"

He sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It was bad enough, when the king asked…" Bulma laughed, as he shook his head.

* * *

Vegeta threw the training bot against the wall, breaking it into bits. He somersaulted and leaped across the room, evading the laser attacks. He swatted at an oncoming laser, sending it back to the bot it came from, exploding it to bits. As two aimed towards him, he jumped into the air just in time, and they destroyed each other. He landed gracefully on his feet, rolling his shoulders back in preparation for the next wave.

He was growing ever frustrated with his lack of progress. He had been working for months to regain control of the legendary, and he felt further from it than ever. No training seemed to help. Whether he worked himself to death or strictly paced himself, it didn't matter. Had it only been a one-time event? The Grand Elder of Namek had told him he could harness that strength for himself, but he could have been wrong. What did a Namekian know of Saiyan legends?

No, he knew that was wrong. He could feel the power of the Legendary still course through his veins. This was his destiny, as the Saiyan Prince and heir to the throne. The Gods had gifted him this power to protect his people. Just a little more force, and he could harness its strength once and for all.

As the bots took their place, he began to power-up. His bright blue aura flared around him. He was on the cusp of greatness. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists tightly, concentrating his energy in this one burst. He could feel the temperature of his aura rising, and feel the tingling of the sparks that flew from him. Even with his powerful energy, it still wasn't enough. He was quickly reaching his peak, and he had not transformed.

Was this truly his limit? Had he worked this long, for nothing? Even though he tried, he might not be able to break through the barrier, again. He was failing his race and his family. He stood no chance against this cowardly murderer. The thoughts raced through his head, sparking a fury he had not felt in a long time. He threw his fists into the air, letting out a scream of all of his frustrations. For a split second, he felt himself break the barrier, but then it suddenly stopped. His aura dissipated, and he fell to his knees.

It was hopeless. No matter how hard he pushed himself, nothing came of it. If he couldn't break through the barrier, how was he supposed to put an end to these senseless murders? Would it be better to give up now, than to further pursue this fool's errand? He honestly did not know which option was worse.

He didn't get up to move, when he heard the door open and close. Let whoever was there see him, like this: the shame was the least he deserved.

A minute passed before they spoke. "Alright, get up. You've had enough time to mope."

Vegeta looked up to see his father looming over him, with his arms crossed over his chest. He stood himself back up, not looking directly at his face.

"Oh, come now, I know you can give me a better attitude than that. Straighten your back, square your shoulders, and look at me."

"Since when did you decide to be a drill sergeant?"

"I won't ask twice."

The serious tone his father had promptly shut up the rest of his snarky comments. He did as his father asked – rolled his shoulders back, straightened his back, and looked him dead in the eyes.

"Vegeta, you're a Saiyan warrior. We don't let a few minor setbacks discourage us from our goals. We live for these challenges. It helps us thrive. How can you do that, if you're so willing to lie down and give up?"

He raised a brow. "You're one to talk."

He shrugged. "Yes, I'll admit: I haven't been as proactive as I could have. But I didn't let the gap between us keep me from returning to my training. And, not to be arrogant, I think it has been going rather well. Now, what's your excuse? Your strength is beyond that of any Saiyan who's come before you. You've reached heights that I thought to be unobtainable. What could possibly be holding you back? Your own fear of failure?"

"I fear nothing," Vegeta said. He clenched his fists at his sides. "That coward murdering Saiyans should be the one that's afraid."

"Then why does he continue to attack us? Surely, he knows the risks. Perhaps he might be even stronger than you are. Then, what will you do? It could be any day now, he'll come after someone you hold dear: Nappa, Raditz, anyone. If you can't summon your strength to fight for them, then who will?"

How dare his father suggest such a ludicrous idea. There was no way that monster was stronger than he was. If that day did come, then he would fight them. But, the ideas still made his blood boil: that he was powerless against the enemy and the people he cared about were still vulnerable.

The king continued. "And what about Bulma? She might have gotten away once, but I doubt he would afford her that kindness a second time, if they were to meet again. What would you do, if it turned out you weren't strong enough to protect her? I speak from experience, Vegeta: that pain is hell on a man. Would you be prepared to deal with that, if that day comes?"

His father kept talking, but Vegeta didn't hear it. His head hung low, and he began to tremble with rage. His aura flared around him, and a pulse of energy hit the king pushing him backwards. Not that he noticed. The anger he had felt in his goading had gotten under his skin, sure enough. Had someone to suggest that he wasn't strong enough to protect the woman he loved before; he would have blasted them out of the room for suggesting such a stupid idea. But now, with all of the doubt and self-loathing he was feeling, it made him realize it wasn't out of possibility. The thought terrified him, and enraged him to his core.

"No," he hissed. "I won't let that happen! I can't!"

He screamed once more, destroying the protective shields on the walls. The king shielded his eyes, as he looked at him. His blue aura had changed to a bright yellow. His dark hair now shined a brilliant gold. And his eyes were a blue hue. He starred in awe, at the sudden transformation. A smile formed on his face. His plan had worked, after all.

His awe was cut short, when Vegeta swiftly punched him in the stomach. He let out a grunt of pain, before falling backwards onto the floor. Vegeta blinked when he heard the noise, and looked down at his father. When he saw him clutching his stomach, he noticed his fist was sticking out in his direction. He staggered backwards, not even realizing he had punched his own father out of anger.

He caught a glimpse of himself in a broken piece of the shields, lying on the floor, and nearly gasped, at how different he looked. He slowly raised a hand to his hair, feeling his new golden locks. They felt stiff and course, between his fingers. Was this it? He hadn't gotten to look at himself, while he was fighting Frieza. He looked the same, bar the hair and eye color. The legend had never been specific about what the transformation entailed, but the power he felt pulsing around him was a familiar one.

What else could this possibly be?

"Well, I'll be damned…" Vegeta looked back down at his father, as he staggered back onto his feet. He shook his head, as he chuckled. "You truly are incredible, my son. I never would have imagined you would be the one to achieve such heights, but I'm not surprised one bit."

"Father," Vegeta said. "I-I didn't mean to-"

He held up his head. "I know, boy. I knew what I was getting into, when provoking you. Now, if you remember that anger, that passion you felt, and channel it into your ki, then I believe you might be able to control it on your own."

That sounded smart. He had the power the whole time, and now he finally had the key to unlocking it. Vegeta looked back down at his fist. He flexed his arm upwards and smirked. He exhaled, and released himself from his transformation.

The king put a hand on his shoulder. "So get all of that doubt nonsense out of your head. You can do it, son. You can get stronger and put an end to these murders. I know you can."

"Thank you father."

* * *

Vegeta came back into their room later that evening. Bulma glanced over at him, before she continued typing away at her laptop. "Hey, Vegeta. How was your day?" He said nothing, as he walked over to her. He shut her laptop, and put it on the table. "Hey, I was working on something!"

"And now you're not. Get up," he said. He took her arm, and practically dragged her to the other side of the room, by the window. He opened the door to the balcony with his free hand.

"Seriously, what gives," she asked, laughing nervously. "What are you doing?" He scooped her legs off of the ground, and wrapped his arm around her waist, before jumping up into the air. She screamed, as she clutched onto his shoulders. They took off fast, the city passing by quickly beneath them.

"Vegeta, you better tell me what the hell you're doing," she shouted in his ear. He didn't even wince.

"Calm down," he told her. "Just relax and enjoy the flight."

Her anger dissipated, when she heard his voice. He looked down at her for a moment, then back up to see where he was flying. She sighed, but began to relax in his grip, laying her head on his shoulder. The skies were clear enough to see the stars, and the crescent moon shined down from over their shoulders. The bustling city streets passed by, and there was nothing below them but the barren desert landscapes, only dotted by the occasional village huts. The sounds of the wind flying by and the warmth of Vegeta's embrace began to lull Bulma to sleep. She yawned, and shifted herself so that her head could lie against his chest. He said nothing, just shifted his arms so that she could rest comfortably. She hardly noticed this, allowing herself some much-needed rest.

When she woke up, again, she was sitting in his lap, his hand sitting on her back. She glanced around. They were completely alone, huddled up in a small cave. The only light came from the stars and moon that were coming in from the outside. There, she could see the edge of a small lake, with a thin ring of greenery surrounding it. They were certainly far from the palace – possibly the furthest they had ever gone, together. It was different, but nice. The tranquility was something she could get used to. Though, she wasn't sure about all of the dirt.

She sat up, to look at Vegeta. "Okay," she said. "You had to have brought me out here, for a reason. What is it?"

He pushed her off of him, and stood up, walking back outside of the cave. "Stay there," he said. "Don't move." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she nodded, shifting so that she was sitting cross-legged.

Vegeta clenched his fists at his sides, and sunk his feet into the dirt. His aura immediately flared around him, but only a blue hue. The ground began to shake, and debris slowly floated into the air. Then, his hair began to change color. Bulma sat up, leaning forward, to see what was happening better. The ground beneath him flattened out, and he yelled, a bright light consuming his entire body. She covered her eyes, shielding them from the blinding rays. She didn't look up again, until she was sure they were all gone.

When she did look, her jaw dropped. He was standing above her, his aura a dark gold, his hair blonde, and his eyes blue. As he smirked confidently with his chin high, Bulma pieced together in her mind what this meant. She gasped, and lifted her hand to her mouth. She stood back up, as she looked up and down at him.

"Is this… are you a Super Saiyan, Vegeta?!"

"The genuine article." He puffed out his chest, not even bothering to be modest about it.

She laughed, and a big smile formed on her face. "I knew it! I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you!" She jumped up and down in delight, before she nearly tackled him in a hug, kissing him on the lips. His skin was tingling slightly, while he was in this form. She could actually feel his power. It was just incredible.

He returned her embrace, kissing her back with as much passion. He lifted her up suddenly, wrapping her legs around his waist, making her squeal. He walked them back into the cave, his aura illuminating the dark walls. He knelt down and set her back onto the ground, crawling over her and pushing her back into the dirt.

She put her hands on his chest. "Here? Seriously?! Why?!"

"Because I don't want any news to spread of my new abilities just yet." He lifted his armor over his head, and tossed it to the side.

"Yeah, but, couldn't you have picked a different place? Like, somewhere with a bed, at the very least?"

"Aren't you always talking about how we should try something more exciting?" He unbuttoned her blouse from the front, getting no resistance from her. He was still holding onto the legendary form while doing this.

She laughed. "Cave sex with a Super Saiyan wasn't exactly what I had in mind!"

"Do you want to stop? We can go back to the palace now, if you'd prefer."

She couldn't say that now, and he knew it. The smug smirk on his face told her that. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Damn, you're impossible..." Yet, when he kissed her again, she didn't complain. Truth be told, she loved it when he got a little playful. Vegeta was such a no-nonsense kind of guy that it was a nice change of pace when he relaxed a little bit. After the month they have had, this kind of levity was definitely needed. Pondering the nature of his transformations and the responsibilities of it could wait until the morning.

For now, they were just happy to be wrapped up in each other for the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey, all! Hope you all are doing well. Enjoy the new chapter! If you don't like OCs, you probably won't like this chapter, lol.

* * *

" _I'm sorry, but we just weren't able to find anything. We looked high and low, but we kept coming up short._ "

"I understand. Thank you for your effort." The transmission was shut off. The scientists all had their faces in their hands, looking tired and ragged from the days' searches. Nothing had turned up from the outside requests. None of the other planets could place a name on that symbol that kept popping up. With more pressure coming from the council to find a culprit, everyone's nerves were on their last ends.

One of the scientists shrugged. "Have we followed up with the Arlians, yet?"

"I called them last night. Same results," said Haricot, rubbing his tired eyes. His hair was out of its usual tight ponytail, flowing freely.

"This is ridiculous," another scientist interjected. "No one knows what this means?! How are we supposed to look into this if we don't have a lead?!"

Haricot shook his head. "We'll just have to wait and see if any new leads pop up."

"New leads? You mean wait for this bastard to get another one of us?! Hell no!"

"I never said that. Give it time and something else will come into light. There's nothing more we can do, until then."

"Oh, screw this, then!" One of the scientists stood up from her chair and stormed towards the exit.

"Mizu, where are you going?" He wasn't even surprised – she had been throwing fits about the lack of progress for weeks.

"Off to do something productive. Something you haven't been doing for weeks now." She slammed her hand down on the button and began to stomp out of the door.

"If you take one step outside of that door, don't bother coming back."

The other scientists erupted into protest. They were growing restless by the lack of progress, as well. Kicking Mizu out just for being more proactive was completely unfair. They made their dissent known, voicing their confusion and befuddlement.

"Have you gone mad?!"

"She's just trying to help! Why kick her out?!"

"How is this fair, at all?!"

Haricot didn't budge, still keeping his passive expression. "Your behavior has grown increasingly disruptive, and we cannot afford to have that kind of misbehavior on our team. So, you can either sit back down or resign your position completely. Have I made myself clear?"

She nodded. "Crystal." She stormed out of the room.

He looked at what remained of his team. "I understand you are frustrated by the lack of news, but until something else comes to light, there is simply nothing more we can do. I have no problem with you suggesting something, but stomping out of the room to be, quote-unquote, productive without consulting me is not only unprofessional, but counterproductive to our work as a team, as well. I am open to any ideas you may have, but you must consult the rest of us before we can proceed. Wild goose chases will do nothing but waste our valuable time. I hope I have made this clear for the future. If I feel you are getting too ornery, I will not hesitate to terminate you from the group. Understand?"

The scientists muttered a 'yes', albeit reluctantly. Some still disliked this tough regiment that Haricot expected. It was a hindrance to their progress and freedom of research. Maybe something unorthodox was exactly what they needed to get the ball rolling. But, that wasn't what was allowed, and they had to just suck it up and deal with it.

* * *

Mizu of Parsley was the youngest scientist in the group. Her mother was one of the generals who fought and died in the second war with the Tuffles. Her father, the weaker of the two, did not want that same fate to befall her, and pushed her into studying science. She was a prodigy from a young age, and quickly rose through the ranks, joining the palace's team of scientists when she was only sixteen: a mere six years older than the prince was.

Her mentor was the disgraced scientist Okra of Bharta, though at the time she was the highest acclaimed Saiyan in the labs and the head of the science department at the palace. She taught her everything that she knew, from how to cauterize a wound to how to build a scouter. Young Mizu was enthralled by the older woman, following her every footstep and heading all of her words and her dry wit. She admired her almost as a daughter would admire her mother.

Then, two years ago, she had discovered some experiments she had in mind. The plans were only detailed in journals, but she thought they were genius. She had shared them to the other scientists, but they had a different reaction – one more akin to horror than wonder. Okra was promptly booted out of the palace's science department when more were discovered – one of which was in the early stages of being actually performed. Mizu was heartbroken, believing that her idol had been wronged. She slowly grew to loathe the remaining scientists, never making her dissent a secret.

On her way out of the palace, she glanced at the empty lab. She knew exactly where the evidence was sitting, and the rest of the team wasn't fast enough to reset the passwords and combinations before she could get to them. Even after all of this time, she never forgot the last words Okra told her, before she was escorted out – "Do not let them hold you back."

And hold her back, they would not.

She slid into the room, unlocking the safes containing the little cylinders with symbols on them. She swiped one of them away. They wouldn't miss it. With the speed they were going, surely, there would be another murder and they could simply replace it with a new one. She stuck it into a capsule, and left the room, knowing exactly where she needed to go.

It had begun to rain, when she reached her destination – a rarity on planets like this. Mizu shook the water out her long hair, as she stood underneath a small tarp that hung over the doorway of the hut. She hesitantly lifted her fist up towards the door, about to knock, but pulled her hand back. She pressed her mouth into a line, and shook her head, banging her fist against the stone entryway.

The door opened, and there she was – not looking a day older than when they met. Okra had a slim physique, with short bobbed hair and sharp bangs that cut across her forehead. The only thing that hinted at her age was the small bags under her eyes.

When she recognized her ingénue apprentice, she placed a hand on her shoulder. "My, how you've grown, my little pupil." Mizu held back a gasp, almost flushing at her compliment. Okra guided her into her hut, wrapping her arm over her shoulder.

She made them both teas, made from a rare herb that grew only on this part of the planet. She had engineered a small garden sitting inside of her home, giving them all of the nutrients and light that it needed to grow.

"It has been a while," Okra said. "What brings you all the way out here?"

Mizu breathed in, her cup shaking in her hands. "I need your help."

"With what? You've always been such a brilliant woman. What could you possibly need my help for?"

"The murders. Haricot and the rest of his lackeys still haven't found anything. He thinks that it's fine to just wait around until the next Saiyan gets killed instead of actually being proactive. It's absurd! Their incompetence means more Saiyans die." She huffed. "I got kicked out for wanting to do more digging."

Okra's eyebrows furrowed. "Oh dear. Haricot was always an insufferable hypocrite. I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did. Though, if you're looking for work, I can't help you much with that, I'm afraid."

"No, it's none of that. Just because they kicked me out doesn't mean I won't try to stop these murders." She reached into her little knapsack, and pulled out a capsule, not noticing the way Okra's grip on her cup seemed to tighten at the sight of it. She threw it towards the ground, and it exploded, revealing all of the evidence and equipment she nabbed from the lab.

"Where did you get all of this," Okra asked.

Mizu laughed, awkwardly. "I might have borrowed it from the lab. I figured you might be able to get some insights into this that no one else will. We can do it together, just like old times. Maybe we can convince the others to bring you back in! What do you say?"

Okra knelt down and examined the smuggled evidence and equipment. Her eyes seemed to light up, as she looked them over. A smile formed on her face. She looked back Mizu, twiddling her thumbs waiting anxiously for some sort of response.

She nodded. "I do believe we may be able to find something, my pupil."


	13. Chapter 13

When Bulma woke up the next morning, she was lying on the pile of discarded clothes alone. Her eyebrows furrowed. She looked around the cave, but there was no sign of Vegeta. His clothes were still here, so he surely hadn't gone back to the palace, yet. She grabbed her shirt off of the ground, shook out the dirt, and put it on, not even bothering to button it up all the way. She was the only person for miles, so modesty was a bit silly.

She poked her head outside of the cave, and saw the top of Vegeta's head poking out from behind a rock. The little lake was sitting behind it. A small smile formed on her face, as she raised an eyebrow. He did always enjoy the baths they took together, as much as he complained about the bubbles. Said it was good for his aching muscles. After he no doubt overexerted himself to get to his new form, he probably needed it.

"Quit lurking," he said.

She giggled. She walked around to the side of the lake, the dirt soft against the bare soles of her feet. Vegeta was leaning against a rock, his hair weighed down by the water. She sat on the lakeshore and dunked her feet into it: surprisingly chilly, given how warm it was out here. Still, she took off her blouse and slid into the lake, the water stopping over her chest. She covered her arms and rubbed them, to warm up a bit.

"You're such a baby," he muttered. He pulled her over to him, her back against his torso and his arms wrapped around her waist. She sighed in content. Temperatures never seemed to bother him, no matter if it was hot or cold. His body was always giving off warmth of its own. She hardly needed a blanket, the night before.

She smiled a wry smile, and glanced back at him. "Do you think whoever wrote that legend envisioned it being used like that?" She raised her eyebrow.

"At least not with a little Earth woman."

She hit his arm under the water. "Hey you were the one who came onto me, mister."

"I doubt that someone as vulgar as you weren't thinking about it just a little bit."

"You know me so well, my legendary love." She turned around and wrapped her arms over his shoulders, giving him a quick peck on the lips. His hands rested comfortably on her lower back, and she leaned onto his chest. "So, what is my Super Saiyan going to do now," she asked, tracing the scars on his chest with her fingertips.

"Wait for that bastard to strike, again, then make him regret the day he messed with our people." He buried his nose into her hair. "Maybe break his legs for scaring you, while we're at it."

"My, how romantic," she teased

"Bulma," he said in a softer tone. She lifted her head to look him in the eyes. "I apologize if I've been… difficult, these past few months. You shouldn't have had to put up with it."

She shook her head. "I understand. You were just looking out for all of us. I missed you a little bit, when you were training, but it's for the better of your people. You don't have to apologize for being so dedicated. As long as you stay for the night every once in a while, I think I can manage."

Sometimes, Vegeta didn't know what he did to deserve such an amazing woman. But he thanked the gods every day for leading him to her.

He pulled her down for a kiss, wrapping his arms around her torso as if he was afraid she'd let go. She just melted into his touch, relaxing against him as they waded in the water together.

"Am I interrupting something?"

And just like that, the mood was killed.

Bulma covered up her chest, and pushed herself off of Vegeta. Raditz was standing at the foot of the lake, with an amused look on his face. Bulma went red in embarrassment, and Vegeta glared up at his friend, though to his chagrin, it had no affect on the shit-eating grin on his face.

"R-Raditz," she yelled. "What are you doing here?!"

"The king sent me out to come looking for you two, after you ran out last night. Said you both were needed back at the palace, but," he shrugged. "I dunno, if you need a few hours, I can go back and stall for a little while longer."

"Get out of here, you pervert!" Bulma grabbed a rock and threw it towards him. He just dodged it.

"Piss off, Raditz," Vegeta growled.

"You sure? I mean, if you need an extra hand or two, I'm your guy."

Their eyes went wide, and their faces turned a deep crimson, at his statements. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU," Vegeta yelled. He could have gone Super Saiyan on the spot, from the embarrassment.

Raditz laughed. "Okay, I'll see you back at the palace. Don't have too much fun without me!" He flew off.

Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose. "Change of plans: first thing I'm going to do is break his legs."

"Don't worry: I'm not gonna stop you."

* * *

Bulma had been called to the lab, when she got back. When she got there, Haricot and the other scientists on the team were waiting for her. She took note that it looked like someone was missing, but didn't say anything about it. Maybe someone got sick.

"Hey, Hari," Bulma said. The other scientists rolled their eyes, biting back groans. "What did you guys need?"

"We were about to contact Earth about their findings, regarding the evidence. We wanted you to be here, for this."

She shrugged. "Sounds good." She pushed him out of the way, and leaned over in front of the console, typing away at a keyboard to send a transmission request. The call went through, and, after waiting a few seconds, the other end picked up.

Dr. Brief put another cigarette into his mouth, and glanced at the screen. He did a double take, and large smile formed on his face. " _Hey there, pumpkin! How are you?_ " This triggered more annoyed reactions from the other scientists.

"Hey, dad," Bulma said. "I'm doing great."

" _Well, that's fantastic! How's Vegeta doing? Tell him your mother can't wait for him to come visit, again, will you?_ "

"I will, but I didn't really call to catch up. I'm with the science team." She gestured to Haricot and the scientists sitting behind her.

Brief adjusted his glasses. " _Oh, I guess you are. What do you need me for?_ " He pulled out a lighter, and lit the end of his cigarette.

Haricot leaned closer to the camera. "Did you find anything on the evidence we sent to you?"

" _Oh, right. I believe I did. Just give me a moment, here._ " He rolled his chair to the other end of the room, catching himself on a filing cabinet. He opened it up and thumbed through the folders until he saw what he was looking for. " _Aha! Here we go!_ " He pushed himself back towards the camera, opening up the folder and flipping through it. " _It might be a bit of a stretch, but I think I may have an idea._ "

"What is it, dad?"

He took out a paper. " _I have a few different symbols that kind of look like that. I can get copies sent to you, if you see anything interesting._ " He showed it to the camera. " _Don't you think it kind of looks like a bowtie? I couldn't find any companies that use that logo for their stuff, but I thought it might lead us somewhere. Maybe your culprit likes fancy clothes._ " He shrugged and set it to the side. " _Oh, here was the one I thought might lead you somewhere." He showed off another sheet. "When you look at the triangles, they're both acute. Maybe acute is some sort of code for a cute person, or something. You see what a lot of killers look like – start looking for the really vain people as suspects._ "

The scientists put their faces into their hands, rubbing their temples and shaking their heads. This old man's ramblings were getting on their last nerves. Especially after Mizu was kicked out of the team, this just seemed like more inane nonsense from Haricot. They were convinced they were only giving him the time of day because he was Bulma's father.

Bulma sighed. "Dad, are you sure this is what you could come up with?"

He shrugged. " _Best I could do. The only other one didn't make much sense, to me._ "

"Well, what was that one?"

He thumbed through the rest of his papers, until he pulled out a new one. It was the same symbol etched onto the cylinders, but with an R on each triangle. " _The shape reminded me of the old emblem of the Red Ribbon Army._ "

She squinted. "The Red Ribbon Army? That big military superpower out in the East?"

" _That's the one, alright._ "

"What can you tell us about them," Haricot asked.

" _Well, they were a mean bunch of bastards, I can tell you that much. Wanted to conquer the planet and make everyone their serfs. But they were powerful. Even the best militaries in the world couldn't stand up to their level of technology._ "

"Wait," one of the scientists in the back said. "How come you didn't think it'd make sense?" The other scientists asked the same question. If they were so powerful and strong, then why wouldn't they be behind this? Especially since that DNA sample came from Earth, this seemed like the most likely option.

" _They were deposed a decade ago – by a kid, if the rumors are true. And that kid must have been thorough, because no one's heard a peep from any of them since. Wouldn't write it off if they were still around, but those days are long gone._ "

"Dad," Bulma asked. "Could you still send us what you can about them? Maybe one of them is still out there."

" _Sure, but I doubt you'd find anything, sweetheart. That it?_ "

"Yeah, dad. That's it."

" _Great. Let me know when you're coming back home. Love you!_ " He turned off the transmission.

Bulma put her hand on her chin. If this really did come from Earth, then the Red Ribbon Army might be the only ones capable of something like that. She had been on Planet Vegeta during the worst of it, but she had heard stories about their machines and weapons. Of course, there was no proof outside of the symbol, but it was a start.

"Bulma," Haricot said. "Do you think they're behind it?"

"I don't know. They would be the only ones capable of this, but, like my dad said, they've been gone for years. If there were remnants of their army, then the rest of Earth would have known about it by now. The Red Ribbon Army was never one for subtlety. They would have slapped the whole emblem onto the victims, if this was the case."

The intrigue was shared, among the room. If this was the closest thing to a lead that they had, then this might have been the best they could get. Still, it was frustrating that months had gone by and they still didn't have a clue as to what was going on. The case was growing cold, and with the recent disruptions among the group, their restlessness was growing.

They needed a breakthrough, and fast.

* * *

Bulma stayed in the lab, through the evening, sifting through everything her father had forwarded to them. She knew little about the Red Ribbon Army, bar the rumors she always heard, but the articles and books he had sent were filling her in. They had a much more colorful history than she thought, before.

The Red Ribbon Army had been formed nearly forty years ago by a man only known by the name Commander Red. He hailed from a village in the Northeast, conquering villages and assimilating them into his army. His conquests weren't just to take over the world, though. It was said that he had other plans to get through, first. Whatever the case, his army was a forced to be reckoned with, thanks to their technology. They had some of the best scientists recruited into their army, most by force. They engineered some of the finest weapons the world had seen – androids.

Androids were artificial humans made from a mix of machine and human flesh. They were immensely powerful, able to withstand as much as a direct hit from a nuclear bomb. According to a defected scientist named Dr. Flappe, they were all programmed to kill anyone their commanders deemed enemies. It boggled Bulma's mind that such technology could be bastardized and misused in such evil and selfish ways. That could be used to cure diseases or make lives easier, but instead they were used to harm.

The books never talked about how they were deposed. But one article – an interview with Dr. Flappe – went into detail. It was said that it was all put to a stop by a young boy named Son Goku. He went put against their forces, and supposedly ended their reign all on his own. Though, the writer wrote it as if he believed it was bullshit.

Bulma paused. She recognized that name, Son Goku – he was the winner of the last World Martial Arts Tournament. He went up against Piccolo. She looked over Flappe's descriptions, again, remembering the power he had shown in the matches. If this was the same Son Goku, then she didn't doubt it. If he could go toe-to-toe with Piccolo and win, he must have been strong.

As she thumbed through another book, she noticed something interesting. There was a profile of all of the known members of the Army. However, there was a page missing. She clicked back and forth, but couldn't find it. Her eyes narrowed. That was definitely odd. Her father was always a stickler for preservation. She made a mental note to remember to ask him about that, next time they spoke. Maybe something went wrong in the transfers.

She yawned, and glanced back at the clock. She had been up longer than she had thought. She closed the documents and turned off the computer, tucking it away from the drawer. She pushed herself out of her chair, and left the room, dragging her feet. She hoped Vegeta didn't expect a repeat of last night, because she was too tired for it.

She walked through the empty corridors, only dimly lit by candles. Saiyans had impressive night vision, and this was all of the light that they needed. She always forgot to bring a flashlight of her own, so she was stuck awkwardly trudging through the darkness.

Then, her steps slowed to a stop. She looked over her shoulder. In the pit of her stomach, she felt as if she was being watched. She couldn't see clearly enough in the dimly lit darkness to know for sure. That might have been the scariest part. Hesitantly, she kept walking. It was probably her mind playing tricks on her.

Her steps slowly sped up. First to a brisk walk, then to a slow jog, and finally a fast sprint. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was right behind her. She kept going faster, desperate to get to the end of the hall. If she could just make it to her room, she'd be safe.

Her panicked run came to an abrupt stop when she hit something hard. The force knocked her off of her feet and onto her back. She rubbed her head, thinking she accidentally ran into a wall, again. But, when she looked up, she was nowhere close to the end of the hallway. She blinked and squinted, trying to find what she ran into.

Then, she saw it. With the small light she could see, she saw the silhouette of a figure looming over her. She couldn't make out a face, but its stance was familiar. It was slightly hunched over, looking down at her. Her heart jumped into her throat, and she was paralyzed with fear. She scooted back, as it took a step forward. She kept going backwards, until she finally climbed onto her feet and ran.

And then, it grabbed her arm.

"HELP ME," she screamed. "PLEASE!"

In the next moment, she felt a gust of air rush past her, and an arm pushed her backwards. The room was suddenly illuminated by a bright yellow glow. Vegeta was standing in front of her, powered up into a Super Saiyan, snarling at the darkness, and looking around the room for the enemy.

But, when Bulma looked behind her, no one was there.

Soon, it was as if the entire palace had woken up. The Saiyans crowded around, trying to see what had happened. However, when they discovered Vegeta in his legendary form, all they could do was stare with wide-eyed abandon. He didn't seem to notice, too concerned with beating the piss out of whatever scared Bulma.

The king pushed through the crowd, and approached them. "Bulma," he asked. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know," she stuttered, breathing hard from her panic. She was throwing her arms out and around, as she explained what she had just experienced. "I was just leaving the lab, and then it felt like I was being watched, and then there was something that I ran into, and then it grabbed me, and I screamed, a-and then Vegeta came, and then, it was just gone!" She held her forehead.

The king looked around at the crowds. "Back to your business," he ordered. They nodded, and went back to their rooms, mumbling about having their sleep interrupted by some girl's crying hysterics.

"Dammit," Vegeta yelled. His aura burst around him, as he released his Super Saiyan form. "I was so close!"

"Close to what," the king asked.

"It was that murdering coward, I just know it! Dammit, he was right under our noses, and just vanished!"

Bulma's eyes widened, in horror. She turned around so quickly, she nearly got whiplash. "You think it was?" When he didn't respond, her head began to hurt. She could have died tonight, had she not screamed when he did. What if he had been faster? What if Vegeta didn't hear her? She lifted her hand to her chest, feeling her heart racing underneath it. She paced around the corridor. She could still feel his grip on her arm, and still feel it tighten around it.

"If he managed to get in here, then we need better security," the king said. "I don't even know how he could have slipped by." He pressed his fingers against his forehead and sighed. "You two should go back to your room, for now. I need to discuss some things with our guards. From now on, Bulma, don't go anywhere without a guard. Understand?"

She nodded. "Loud and clear, your majesty."

Vegeta wrapped an arm around her waist. Bulma jumped, for a moment, before she realized it was he. He sighed, and they walked back down the hallway. She leaned against his shoulder. Whatever they came up with, she didn't care. She just wanted this all to be over.


	14. Chapter 14

When Bulma and Vegeta reached their rooms, they just sat down on the couch together. She was curled up against him, and he was rubbing her back. There weren't any tears or hysterics from either of them. But after the scare that they had, they couldn't just lie down and go to sleep. Vegeta was glaring at the window, as if the killer was standing on the other side. He was out for blood. The coward had come too close. When he got his hands on him, he'd do far worse than break his legs, now.

Though, he couldn't focus on that until he was sure that Bulma was safe.

They hadn't talked about what they were going to do, yet. Their nerves were shot for the evening, and she didn't even want to think about what had almost happened. He couldn't stay by her side all of the time. She had her duties and he had his. There was Raditz or Nappa, but they had other duties, as well. As for those guards, he doubted they'd stand a chance against the murderer. If he had managed to break in under their noses, truly nowhere was safe anymore.

Nowhere on Planet Vegeta, at least.

"When are you going to Earth, next," Vegeta asked.

She glanced up and shrugged. "I don't know," she said with a sigh. "Probably not for another few months." She shut her eyes. "God, I hope it'll all be over, by then…"

Vegeta nodded. "Would you have to go back, just for business?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Vegeta, what do you mean?"

He didn't roll his eyes – she was no doubt frazzled from the night they had. "I mean to suggest that you return to Earth, for the meanwhile. Until this coward's dead and buried."

She shook her head, and sat up. "Vegeta, no. I-I can't abandon you. I'm not going leave you to fight through this by yourself. You know I wouldn't."

"I can't fight through this at all until I'm certain you're safe. And you aren't safe here. If I'm focused on that, I can't focus on getting rid of the bastard."

"Are you saying I'm a distraction?"

"Don't put words into my mouth."

Bulma grabbed his shoulders. "Vegeta, I already told you I can't abandon you like this. What if something comes up and you need me? How hard is it going to be for me to help, all the way on Earth?"

"We'll just have to deal with that when it comes."

She couldn't believe this. "I'm not leaving you. I can't."

"That coward knows you, Bulma. He was able to get into the palace undetected. What if I hadn't heard you, tonight? And I can't be by your side constantly guarding you."

"The guards are still here, though. Just get a few of them to stay by when you can't!"

"If he was able to get passed our defenses, what hopes do a few lowly guards have? Quit being so stubborn, and listen to me: you're not safe here."

She sighed, turning away from him. She never thought he would think of just sending her away without asking her, first. He hadn't even considered her opinion before he started trying to convince her. He, of all people, should understand what it's like to have your life controlled by others. However, she still couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't safe. Whether it is the killer or the people that hated her, everything just made her feel unwanted. These last few months had been hell. Maybe a little time away from Planet Vegeta would be for the best. She sighed. She still didn't like the way he had spoken to her.

"You might be right," she said. "But I don't like choices being made for me. You know that."

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I never wanted to choose for you. It was only a suggestion."

Bulma shook her head, falling against him. She was still probably frazzled by what happened earlier. Her irrational mind had taken over, assuming the worst for everything. She took a breath to calm herself down. Of course, Vegeta wouldn't try to send her away – he would never do that. As she began to think more about what he asked, the more it made sense. A large target was practically painted on her back, and the killer had shown their security was useless. Maybe Earth was the best place to go. She just wished that there were still a way that she could help, over there.

After a moment of hesitation, she spoke, again, with a sigh. "When should I go?"

"The sooner, the better."

* * *

The next morning, Bulma walked up to the top floor of the palace, where the king's study sat. She breathed in, and knocked on it.

"You may enter," said the king on the other side. She pressed a button, and the door slid open. The king glanced up. "Ah, Bulma. I was just thinking about you. What brings you here?"

Bulma still didn't know how to address the king. She wasn't a princess, yet, so she hardly felt comfortable acting friendly with him. Yet, he treated her casually as he would Nappa or any of his peers. He was laid back, but she always stuck with formalities, when she spoke with him. She doubted he'd have her head if she didn't, but it just felt too weird not to. The door closed behind her, and she did a small curtsy. "Your majesty, I need to ask your permission for something."

"Yes, please – go on." He clasped his hands together, looking eager to hear her answer. He was probably hoping that she and Vegeta would finally get married – Nappa had told her that he was still asking.

"I was talking with Vegeta, about what happened last night."

His smile faded, but he nodded. "Go on."

"And… well… we think it's best if I go live back on Earth, for a while. He doesn't think it's safe, if the killer was able to get into the palace. I feel like kind of a target, just sitting around here."

He sighed. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Are you sure that you want to go? Vegeta won't be able to go with you, if you do."

"We've talked about it. It's not what we want, but we'll put up with it until these murders get solved."

The king stared at her, for a moment. He waved his hand, as he took out another piece of paperwork. "Well, if it will ease your mind, then you may go. Think of it as an extended vacation – you've earned it."

She blinked, in surprise. She hadn't thought it would go down that easily. She thought he might need more convincing, or that he thought she might be needed more here. "Thank you, your majesty. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry I won't be able to help, all the way out there."

"Don't say that just yet. Maybe you'll still find something out there. If that's all, you're dismissed." He went back to working on paperwork. Bulma quietly got up from her chair and left the room.

She thought about what he told her. She supposed that she could do a bit of work back on Earth, but she didn't have the direct connection with the lab, anymore. There would have to be a lot of variables to work around – time zones, connections, she wouldn't be able to see any new evidence hands on, and there would just be a disconnect. There wouldn't be a lot she could do, being where she was.

Her eyes widened. Of course. Why hadn't she thought of that, before?

* * *

"I think we're onto something with the Red Ribbon Army." Bulma shoved copies of the documents her father sent her into Haricot's hands. The items of interest were circled and highlighted. "They experimented with technology that was decades ahead of what the rest of our scientists could do. The wars they could wage with it were devastating. If anyone has the resources to pull this off, it's them."

"Your hypothesis does contradict your father's words," Haricot said.

"Does it, really? They were deposed, yeah, but powers like that don't just limp off quietly into the night. There were still loyal soldiers and loyalty dies hard. There might be some remnants hiding out there, waiting for the moment to strike once more. It's just a theory, but doesn't lie." She turned the pages on one of the packets, and pointed to it. "If I can find one of these people that are still alive and get them to talk, then maybe I'll be onto something."

"If you think it will help…"

"I'll be sure to let you know if anything comes up. This might finally get us to a breakthrough!"

"Best of luck."

She smiled, as she ran out of the room. The scientists went back to work, after listening to her speak to Haricot privately. They talked among themselves, as they looked over data and information.

"Isn't it funny that the killer didn't kill her, again," whispered one scientist to another.

She scoffed. "I'll say. There's gotta be something suspicious about this." She groaned under her breath. "If only Mizu was still here."

"Yeah." He pointed his thumb as Haricot. "But he still gives Bulma special treatment. We're forced to follow protocol so closely that Mizu gets kicked out for wanting to be proactive. Meanwhile, she's allowed to do the deep investigations on her own. It's bullshit! I really hope Mizu's found something good."

"You think she will?"

He shrugged. "I'd wager yes."

Haricot stepped up behind them, looming over their shoulders. "You two – back to work," he ordered in his usual monotone. They turned away from each other, looking back at their assigned work. When he walked away, they muttered snide comments to each other.

* * *

The next morning, the ship was ready to depart. Arrangements took no time, wanting to be off of the planet as fast as possible. It was larger than a pod, but smaller than a two-person ship. It was enough room for her, supplied with enough food for the trip. She carried her capsules in her pocket, holding everything she needed when she got back home. Vegeta saw her off, walking with her across the landing platform.

She sighed, and turned around to face him. "I'll really miss you, Vegeta." That much was obvious, but she wanted to make sure he really knew. She hugged him tightly, and he returned her embrace. "Don't get too lonely without me."

He raised a brow at her. "I should be the one saying that to you."

She rolled her eyes, but still had a smile on her face. "As soon as I hear that he's dead, I'll be turning right around and coming back here."

"Funny. I was planning on jumping into the first pod back to Earth. Perhaps we can meet halfway? Do a little celebrating, alone?" He smirked down at her.

She slapped his shoulder. "Behave," she teased. "But I'm sure I can think of a few ways to reward my favorite Super Saiyan." She kissed him, pulling away before he could go any further. She winked at him, and he just shook his head, chuckling.

Then, they just stared at each other. The ship was sitting right behind them. There were other people needing to use this dock. They had to get a move on, but they hesitated. It was going to be a while before they saw each other again, and they weren't so ready to part.

"Good luck," she finally said. "I know you'll be able to do this. Just… be careful. Please."

He nodded. "As long as you do the same."

She looked back at the spaceship, and hugged him one last time. She had to push herself away from him to leave. She took her first steps up the ramp and into the ship's cockpit. She didn't look back – if she did, she would have turned around and refuse to leave. Instead, she sat behind the control panel, set the coordinates to Earth, and the ship took off into the air. From the window, the palace grew smaller until it was nothing more than a dot in the landscape. The landscape grew farther away until she could see the red planet, rotating in the vacuum of space.

She looked over the coordinates, once more, making sure that she was on track to head back to Earth. If all went well, she'd be home in a few weeks. As she looked down at her map, a thought came into her head. It was definitely going to be a while before she was back in this part of the galaxy, again. And the king had told her to think of this trip as a vacation. So if she were to make a quick stop at another planet along the way, no one would care.

She quickly cleared her coordinates, and set new ones. She'd get to Earth, either way: no harm in visiting some old friends.


	15. Chapter 15

This chapter was completely unplanned, but I thought it would be fun to catch up and see what those Namekians are up to. Would have loved to include them more, but I couldn't find a way to fit them into the story.

* * *

Another peaceful day on Planet Namek had come and gone. A hard day of working in the fields ended, as the second sun rose over the horizon. Now was the time for rest and relaxation back in their villages before they turned in for their slumber. Hard work, to be certain, but rewarding work.

The farmers brought in their crops – the ripe fruit of the Ajisa. Traders would from other worlds and barter for them in exchange for technology, such as communication systems and spaceships. When the fruits were out of season, the fallen leaves of the Ajisa would be woven into fine clothes, sold to royalty all across the galaxy. Despite the increase in trade interest, Namek still kept to itself, not getting involved in other's affairs and rarely receiving visitors. Even after what happened with the Saiyans, that hadn't changed.

So, it was a surprise to all of the Namekians to see a ship landing in the middle of an open field.

Elder Moori's village was right outside of the landing spot. He and his brothers approached the vessel with caution, unknown if this was friend or foe. With their involvement and alliance with the Saiyans, they had opened themselves to become a target. Luckily, word had not spread of the Dragon Balls, and no villains had come to claim them. Still, no one knew if this ship would be the one to break that streak.

The door opened, and a ramp extended from its entrance, a puff of smoke emitting from the entryway. A lone figure began to exit, shrouded in the fog. They stood on guard, waiting for something to happen.

Dende's eyes widened, and he smiled. "It's Miss Bulma!"

Bulma hopped down from the ramp, and looked up when she heard her name called. He came running down the hill to greet her, with his arms thrown behind him.

"Hey there, Dende!" She gasped. "You've gotten so big. Seems like yesterday, you barely came up to my knee." She knelt down and measured his old height. Dende blushed and looked away, sheepishly.

Moori came down to greet her next, with a smile on his face. "Bulma. It's been far too long. What brings you to Namek?"

"I was on my way back to Earth, so I thought I should stop by a visit. Sorry for the sudden intrusion."

"You know that you're always welcome here, my friend. It's no intrusion, at all." He gestured back to the village. "Please, come sit with us for a while. We just brought in fresh fruit from the Ajisa."

Bulma sat with the village Namekians, catching up. It had been so long since she had paid good old Planet Namek a visit. With her duties as an ambassador, it was hard to justify random vacations to other planets. When she did think to stop by Namek for a quick visit, it had been too late to turn around or change course. She was glad she finally remembered this time. Nothing has really changed, since the last time she visited. It gave her some comfort to know that there was a constant, in all of this mess.

"How have the Saiyans been," Moori asked. "We've been meaning to visit, but the time has always gotten away from us."

She sighed. She had hoped that the question wouldn't come up, but she shouldn't have been surprised, with how close they were. "There's been some trouble, and we haven't been able to solve it."

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"A lot of Saiyans have been found dead. We suspect they're all connected, and someone is just killing random Saiyans."

"Goodness. I am so, so sorry. What a painful waste. Do you have ideas of who it could be?"

"That's the problem: the trail's cold because the killer hasn't left us any leads. The only possible ones we have are a long shot. But I'm not giving up. We need to find this creep and bring him to justice!"

"Well, if there's anything at all that we can do for you, Bulma, all you have to do is ask."

"Thanks, Moori."

"Miss Bulma," Dende said. "Have you thought to ask the Grand Elder? He could help."

She waved her hand. "No, I don't want to burden him with this. He helped us once – I don't want to make him help us, again."

"Nonsense," Moori said, shaking his head. "You wouldn't burden him at all. He always has time to help those in need - especially our friends. We will always be willing to lend a hand to our Saiyan brothers."

"I just don't know how much he could help, to be honest."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe so, but that's no reason not to try."

She sighed. Namekians did drive a hard bargain: that was for sure. They were so optimistic and helpful that it was hard not to take up their advice. Even if she didn't get anything, she could at least say that she tried. Plus, she did want to go see Nail, again. What kind of guest would she be if she ignored the Grand Elder, while she was here?

She shrugged. Why not?

* * *

Nail stood guard over the Grand Elder's home, keeping is usual vigil over the landscape. He had been alerted to a sudden and unexpected visitor. He did not want to take any chances, or risk someone coming for the Grand Elder, or the Dragon Balls. He couldn't sense any energy, but the Grand Elder had been certain that there was a visitor. If they decided to show up, Nail would be ready for them.

Off in the distance, he could see something speeding towards the small hut. It was flying right in the middle of the air, creating a cloud of smoke behind it. Nail got into a guarded position, ready for the worst. As he squinted, he could see it waving at him, to his confusion.

Then, he heard yelling. "Hey! Nail! Over here!"

His eyes narrowed. "Is that…," he muttered, thinking out loud.

Sure enough, it was Bulma, riding one of her hover bikes. Nail stood at ease, with his hands behind his back, waiting for her to get there. She zoomed up to the hut and jumped off of her bike, capsulating it, as well. Unfortunately, she landed on her face. She quickly stood up, and brushed off her clothes, looking up at Nail with a large grin on her face.

"Bulma," he greeted, formally. "It's good to see you well."

She bowed her head. "You as well, sir." They stared at each other before Bulma started laughing. She jumped up, tackling him in a hug. Nail stumbled backwards, before he caught her and returned the hug.

"It's been too long," she said. She jumped back down to the ground. "I missed you so much! How are you?"

"I've been well. You seem a lot lighter, than when we last met. Have you been slacking in your training?"

She scratched the back of her head, and shrugged. "You know, pushing papers and all of that stuff: keeps a girl from working out. I promise I'll get back to it, soon."

Nail chuckled, and shook his head. "I'll find a way to make sure you hold up that promise. For now, I believe the Grand Elder is expecting you. Enter, please."

She curtsied. "With pleasure." She walked right inside, and stood in the middle of the room. As Nail joined her, he spoke his command, and they ascended to the second floor, where the Elder was waiting for them.

The Grand Elder had not changed a bit, since she last saw him. He still sat in his chair, looming over the both of them, but his kind and warm aura was no different from when they first met. Bulma breathed in and out, as she approached him, bowing before him.

"Why, Bulma," the Grand Elder said. "Is that really you? My goodness, it's been so long."

"You can say that again. I've missed you all. I'm sorry if this was kind of sudden, for you all."

"A visit from an old friend is never sudden. You're welcome here anytime."

"Thank you, Grand Elder." Her smile faded, as she wondered what she was going to say next. "Grand Elder – you've done so much for us, and I don't want to be a burden. But… I need to ask you about something."

"And what is that?"

"Planet Vegeta's under attack – this time by a murderer. Saiyans have been murdered so quickly, it's hard to keep up to date. We've looked into every angle, but we haven't been able to find anything. Please, I don't mean to ask you to solve the problem for us, but do you think you know anything about it? At all?"

The Grand Elder paused. "I have sensed discontent, coming from your planet. Unfortunately, you are the first to tell me about this situation. I'm afraid that I know nothing that can point you in the right direction. And for that, I apologize."

She wasn't surprised. The Grand Elder was wise, but he wasn't omnipotent. "You don't have to apologize, Grand Elder. I knew it was kind of a long shot to come ask you. It's just... you know, with everything happening, I don't really know where to look."

"Would you mind if I suggested something?"

"Of course not. Anything would help, at this point."

"I heard from my children that you were on your way back to Earth. Is that correct?" She nodded. "My vision of Earth is unclear, but there may be something of use to you there. I can only see through the eyes of my brothers, but those on Earth are preparing for something, themselves. If you seek them out and seek their help, you may be able to stop this, yet."

She put her hands up. "Wait, what do you mean by something? What should I ask?"

"That, I'm afraid, I am not at liberty to tell. You must discover this, on your own."

She sighed. She should have figured he wouldn't just come out and say it. The guardians worked in mysterious ways, and all that jazz. But, she was going to take his advice. He might not have meant that she should look into the people who had tied with the Red Ribbon Army, but it was close enough for her. "Thank you for your help, Grand Elder. And thank you for your time."

"I always have time for you, Bulma. If you learn of anything that we can do, please ask."

She bowed her head. "I'll be sure of it."

* * *

Bulma and Nail left to sit together, after she has visited the Grand Elder, to properly catch up. They were on the edge of a cliff, with their feet dangling off the edge, overlooking the gentle seas of Planet Namek. The water glistened brilliantly, perfectly reflecting the green skies above. All was quiet, as they spoke.

"So," Bulma said. "What's been knew with you? Moori said you were up to something."

"I've been attempting to rebuild our Warrior Clan. Our fight with Frieza made me realize how outclassed we had become. I hope the day never comes when we need one, but if we do, we must be prepared."

"That's awesome! The Grand Elder's cool with it?"

"He's been encouraging, to say the least. He hopes it can send me on a new path, for the future."

She narrowed her eyes. "New path. What do you mean?"

He paused, as the smile fell from his face. "We fear that the Grand Elder will not be with us much longer. Each day, I can feel his energy decreasing. It won't be much longer until he retires to Other World."

"Oh... I'm so sorry." The Grand Elder was called that for a reason, so she wasn't shocked. Still, he was such a kind and caring being: she didn't want to think of what the universe would be like without him. "What's going to happen, when he's gone?"

"He's mentoring his successor. Another Namekian will take his place, and continue his duties. If all goes as planned, it will be as if nothing has changed at all. This is why I am gathering warriors, together. We'll better protect our planet, and protecting the new elder will not fall upon one man."

She nodded. "That's really smart. Well, you all know if something comes up, you can always call on us for help."

"Of course. Are you still acting as an ambassador?"

"Yep. Still going back and forth between Planet Vegeta and Earth every few months. It's the best job I could have asked for."

"And Vegeta?"

"Still together. This bullshit has gotten us down a little bit, but we're still making it work. Once we get rid of this guy, everything's gonna go back to normal."

"I see."

She looked up at him. There was something off about his tone - as if he knew something she didn't. "What do you mean 'I see'?"

"Nothing, Bulma."

She raised an eyebrow, and shook her head. "Alright." Nail was a straight-forward guy - if he wanted to say something, he would have said it.

"Have the Colds bothered you, at all?"

"Not really. They've left us alone, and we leave them alone. The most we've gotten from them was a message saying they were aware of what happened with Frieza."

"Really? That's surprising. I thought they might try to make an example out of you."

"It's probably too risky. If they pretend like we're insignificant, then their colonies won't get any ideas about overthrowing them. At least, that's what Vegeta's told me." She sighed, and shrugged. "Well, if something does happen, at least Vegeta's a Super Saiyan, again."

"He has, has he?" She smiled up at him, nodding. "Fantastic."

"You can say that again. Now, I think we have some hope to finally put an end to the murders."

"Then good luck to you."

She hugged him, which he returned. "Thanks, Nail." She had really missed him. He was the first person who believed in her. He thought she was capable against Frieza, even when she didn't. He had always been patient and understanding, as well as a great listener. When this whole thing was over, she knew she had to start making trips to Planet Namek more often - Namekians were just great company. She had momentary relief, in such a dark and dire situation, where she could breathe and clear her head. Now refreshed, she could head back home and continue her searches.


	16. Chapter 16

I apologize for any technical difficulties, if you clicked on this immediately after it was posted. Enjoy!

* * *

Bulma stayed on Namek for another day, before she finally got back onto her ship. The Namekians had been generous enough to give her a basket full of Ajisa fruit to enjoy for the rest of the trip. The remainder of her journey went on without any interruptions, as she flew through the vacuum of space alone.

She looked over the documents, one more time. She kept flipping back and forth through the huge reference book, looking for names. Few people were open about their ties to the Red Ribbon Army for a number of reasons. Most of the major players who weren't dead were reported as simply missing, to her dismay. To make her job harder, they went under code names – Black, Silver, Blue, Violet, White, Yellow, and Red were among the monikers chosen to conceal their identities. Their birth names weren't always given. However, there were a few brave souls willing to make their involvement known – mercenaries and soldiers lower on the totem pole, usually. Unfortunately, it looked like most of the high officers were confirmed to be dead.

That did not touch her biggest mystery – the missing pages. Judging by its placement, he or she was a pretty high-profile member. As she looked through the rest of the book, she found no names that were missing from the appendixes. He or she couldn't have been a military leader, like a general. But what could he or she have done to garner himself or herself such a high placement in the book? Bulma knew she would have to track down another copy, when she got back to Earth. Maybe he or she was the missing link she was looking for, and it would all make sense. That might not be the case, but the hope was all she could go on.

And, on top of all of this, she had promised Raditz that she would do some digging to find his brother. She didn't have the slightest clue of what she was going to do there. It had been so many years since Kakarot had been sent to Earth. He might not have even made it, for all they knew. Tracking down the missing pod might have been an idea, but it could have been long since scrapped or destroyed. The murders were a clear case by comparison. She was somewhat glad to be stuck in Earth indefinitely because who knew how long it would take to find anything.

However, helping Raditz wasn't priority. Her attention lied squarely on The Red Ribbon army. Finding the living members, learning all she could from them, and finding a link between them and the murders. She hadn't done this much digging into something since college. Despite the circumstances, the idea of doing all of this research was exciting. She couldn't wait to start digging into all of it.

* * *

Bulma went straight home, when she landed on Earth. Capsule Corporation always seemed to stay the same, no matter how long she had been away – huge, but homey. She pressed her hand against the scanner, and the front door opened. To her surprise, the living room was empty. Normally, her father and mother sat together here, in the afternoon. Maybe he got help up at the offices, or something.

As she looked around, she saw the kitchen light was on. That explained it – they were probably having lunch, together. She was getting a little hungry, too, now that she thought about it. Her mother always loved cooking for others, so she was sure that she wouldn't mind fixing an extra plate for her. She walked towards the kitchen, passing the dining room. She glanced at it only for a second, but stopped and walked backwards. Her eyes widened, and she dropped her bag.

"Raditz?"

Raditz was sitting at the end of the dining room table, with dirty dishes piled up towards the ceiling. He was in the middle of talking to her father, while they both ate. What surprised her more was his choice in clothing – a t-shirt with the sleeps ripped off, exposing his arms. She had never seen him in anything other than his armor. Not even Vegeta dressed down, when he came to visit.

He looked up at the doorway with his cheeks full of food, looking guilty: as if he had been caught stealing candy in the middle of the night.

"Oh, there you are, Bulma," her father said. "We were just talking about you. Was wondering when you'd finally reach here. Hope the trip was smooth."

Her mother shoved her out of the way, into the dining room. "Oh, you should have told me about your new friend! He's such a doll, and a real gentleman! My, if you hadn't been with Vegeta, I'd be setting you up with him!" She was carrying five more plates of food, setting them down in front of him.

Bulma and Raditz stared at each other for several moments. She lifted her finger, and gestured for him to follow her. He swallowed his food, stood out of his chair, and walked behind her. Now, she was surprised to see his very short shorts, not even covering his thighs, She sighed, and trudged out of the room, while he followed behind.

"Raditz, what the hell are you doing here?" Before he could get a word out, she interrupted. "And what the actual hell are you wearing?"

He looked down at his outfit. "You don't like it?" He twisted his torso, to get a better look at his back. "I think it suits me."

"That's not the point! Just tell me why you're here!"

"Vegeta told me to meet you, when you got to Earth. He said I should follow you there, and be your guard and stuff."

She put her hands on her hips. "Vegeta set you up to this?"

"You didn't know?"

"Of course I didn't! Why do you think I asked?!"

He put his hands up. "Hey, hey, don't get upset! I think he said he was going to tell you, when you got to Earth. I didn't think he expected that I'd get here first. You know he's only got your best interests in mind. Relax."

She sighed. Getting mad was pointless. It wasn't Raditz fault that Vegeta had been keeping secrets. "You're right. Sorry." She shook her head. "Well, welcome to Earth. I see you already met my mom and dad. Hope they've been treating you okay."

"Oh, more than that. They've been awesome. Though, your mom has kept trying to buy clothes for me and is always asking me to try her food…"

"She does that. Get used to it."

Speak of the devil, Bulma's mother poked her head in. "Are you two doing okay? I heard some yelling, and wanted to make sure."

"Yeah, mom: we're fine. Just… wasn't expecting to see him, here."

"Oh, wonderful! You two have fun! Just remember, sweetie, that you still have Vegeta, and all of that!" She smiled, and left the room.

Raditz looked up and tilted his head. "You know, if she suggested it…."

"Don't even think about it."

* * *

Bulma looked down at her watch, set to the time back at the palace. When a minute passed, she opened her laptop, and clicked on a program. This would give her the ability to call the palace directly, through a video chat. She made sure the appropriate security and privacy settings were intact and hit call. The screen was dark for several moments, until it flashed on. A guard was sitting on the other end.

She didn't even let him speak. "Get me Vegeta. Now." Seeing how irate she looked, he nodded, and quickly marched out of the room. She huffed, pushing the hair out of her eyes. She glanced at a mirror on the bedside table. She was getting a little tired of managing the curly hair. Maybe she should look into changing it, again. How would she look with a bob?

Her musings were cut off, when the door on the other end opened and shut. She crossed her arms, glaring at Vegeta as he sat down.

" _I take it the trip to Earth went well,_ " he said. He didn't seem to notice how upset she was, which made her even more upset.

"Oh yeah. You'll never guess who was here waiting for me, sitting with my dad in short shorts and a t-shirt."

" _Your father's sense of fashion doesn't seem particularly relevant to that statement._ "

"Dammit, Vegeta, you know what I meant! Why didn't you tell me you sent Raditz here?!"

" _I had assumed that you would reach Earth first. I did not expect you to take your sweet time returning. I would have explained everything to you, then._ " He pointed his finger in the air " _You know how bad these connections are, during space travel._ "

 _"You didn't think to ask if Raditz could come? My house isn't a hotel that you can come and go in as you please. I would have preferred to warn my parents about the extra guest._ "

"We didn't have that kind of time. You know how long space travel is. By the time he got there, something could have happened to you. I wasn't going to take that risk."

She laughed. " _Wasn't that the reason we agreed to do this, in the first place?! Earth is far away from Planet Vegeta! The killer isn't going to follow me all the way out here! And it's not like we don't have top-notch security at Capsule Corp, anyway! If it is for my sake, you should have talked about this with me, first!_ "

" _Maybe so, but what's done is done. I don't regret sending him out. I can rest easy, knowing that you have a bit of extra security._ "

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever…" She clearly wasn't going to get an apology out of him. He could be a stubborn oaf, sometimes.

" _It's quieter here, without you._ "

She was about to yell at him, again, but the look on his face told her something else. He wasn't insulting her, as she assumed. It was just an odd way of saying that he missed her. She sighed. "Yeah. I miss you, too, jerk." She shook her head, leaning her cheek against her hand. "Anything new, on your end?"

" _Nothing, yet. But something will. And when it does, I'll be ready._ "

"I know you will, my handsome Super Saiyan. You better let me know when that happens. I don't wanna be left in the dark."

" _Idiot. You know I wouldn't._ "

She smiled and winked at him. "I'll make sure of that." Just then, there was a knock at her bedroom door. She groaned. "Sorry, I better go see who that is – might be mom or dad. Talk to you soon."

He nodded. " _If anything unusual happens, call me._ "

"I will. Love you." She hung up the phone call, and closed the program. She looked towards the door. "It's open!"

The door opened, and Raditz poked his head in. "Hey. You got a minute?"

"Yeah. I was just talking to Vegeta." She gestured for him to come inside, and she turned around, letting her legs hang off the edge of the bed. She did not think she was ever going to get used to seeing him in Earth clothes. Nevertheless, she continued. "What's up?"

"So, uh, what are your plans, now that you're back on Earth? If you don't mind me asking, of course."

"For now – tracking down some members of a deposed army."

He looked confused. "Why?"

"Can't tell you. But I'm looking for some sort of a missing link."

"Okay… what are you going to do, after that?"

"I haven't forgotten our promise, Raditz – I'll start doing some digging to help you find your brother."

A large grin formed on his face and he nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Do you have any ideas?"

"Not yet, but I'll let you know when I do."

His smile faltered, and he looked down. "What do you think he'd say? He has to be old, by now. He might not even want to see his old family: probably doesn't even need me, anymore."

"Raditz, you're worrying too much." She stood up, to stand next to him. "No one's upset when they find out they have a family they never knew about. You don't know what kind of life he's been living. Even if he ended up in the ideal family, with a mom, dad, and siblings, he might still wonder about you. And he's lucky enough to have such a kind, caring, and compassionate man for a big brother. You've got nothing to fear."

"You really think that about me?"

"Of course. If it weren't for you, Vegeta, and Nappa, I'd still feel like an outcast. You believed me and trusted, when I came to help you win back the palace. You're practically my best friend, and I love you."

He smiled, pulling her into a hug. "Thanks, Little Blue. I'm glad to call you my friend, too."


	17. Chapter 17

It's my birthday, today! Let's celebrate with a new chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Bulma flew in her hover car, as the GPS beeped next to her. She was getting closer to her first destination, driving through a barren desert. She was about to confront the first former member of the Red Ribbon Army alone. Raditz had offered to tag along, but she turned down the offer – what she was working on was confidential, and didn't need any other eyes or ears. If anything did happen, she could take care of it herself.

The dirt roads let through a small village. It looked like something out of an old western – wooden houses sitting on each side of the road, the horizon dotted with cacti, and not a single person in sight. The lights were on in only one building – the bar at the very end of the road. It was exactly where she needed to go.

She pulled the hover car around a corner, and turned it off. She hopped out and put it into a capsule, sticking it into her pocket. The sun was bright, even while wearing sunglasses. She put a hand over her eyes, walking towards the door. She pushed her way through the double doors, the wooden floorboards creaking as she stepped.

The bar was empty, save for a lone male bartender. She walked up to the counter, taking off her sunglasses.

"Hi there," he said, while he cleaned the countertop with a wet rag. "What can I do for you, miss?"

"I'm looking for a woman named Hasky. I was told she worked here, and I need to speak with her for a moment."

"Well, you certainly came to the right place." He looked over his shoulder. "HASKY! YOU GOT A VISITOR HERE TO SEE YOU!"

"Keep your shirt on, I'm coming." Out from the back room, a woman stepped out. She had long shaggy blond hair and bright blue eyes. She was dressed in worn blue jeans and a button-up plaid shirt, with an apron tied around her waist. To Bulma's relief, she looked exactly like she did in the pictures.

Hasky looked at Bulma, and walked over to her, leaning against the counter. "Hello there, beautiful. What can I do for you?"

"Can I ask you a few questions about yourself?"

"Buy me a couple drinks, and I'll answer any questions you might have." She winked at her.

Bulma sighed. She dug her hand into her pocket, and pulled out a few thousand Zeni. The bartender gawked at the cash that was tossed his way. "Get her what she wants. The rest can be a tip."

She laughed. "I like the cut of your jib." The bartender took out an entire bottle of whiskey, sliding it over to her side. Hasky grabbed it, taking it off of the countertop. "We can talk in the back, if you don't want any ears." She popped off the bottle cap, and took a swig of the alcohol, wiping her upper lip when she was done.

Bulma and Hasky sat down at a table in the kitchen. "So," Hasky said. "What is it that you want to know?"

She nodded. "What can you tell me about the Red Ribbon Army?"

She scoffed. "Is that all? I was hoping it would be a little more personal." She took another sip of her whiskey. "Yeah, I'll tell you anything you wanna know. Ask away." She waved her free hand in the air.

"How long were you apart of them?"

"I was with them for a couple years. The pay was good, and the work was fun. I was a thief-for-hire for them. I came in, stole any valuables they needed, and left. As long as I was discreet, they didn't care how I carried out their orders. If I had to shoot a few guys to keep things quiet, then so be it. It's honest work, as far as I'm concerned."

Bulma nodded. "Did you ever know any of the leaders?"

"No, ma'am. Never got to meet anyone like Red or Blue. They kept to their own business, and I kept to mine." She shrugged. "I did have a little, how you say, working relationship with Violet, but I don't think that's particularly relevant to this conversation. Unless you want to hear some of the details, of course."

She put her hand up and shook her head. "I'm good, thank you. Anyways, were you a member to the very end, for them? Were you there, when they were deposed?"

"I was, but I wasn't at HQ then, sad to say. Never did figure out what happened, there. Story I heard was that a toddler kicked their shit in." She chuckled. "Would have loved to see that go down: I can tell you that much for free."

She was reminded of the story she read from Dr. Flappe. "That 'toddler' – you wouldn't happen to recognize the name Son Goku, would you?"

Hasky nodded, as she took another drink. "Yep, that's the one. Must have been one brave kid. Or maybe a stupid one. Either way, same results – the army's gone and not a trace is left of it."

"About that… do you think it would have been possible for some, I dunno, remnants to still exist? Someone might still be out there, working on their behalf?"

"Now, wouldn't that make for an interesting story? Can't say for certain, though. I wasn't high enough on the food chain to hear about those sorts of things. I would not put it past them, though. I don't think they ever figured out everyone who got out of HQ alive. There might have been one or two powerful people in there. Who knows?"

So, she only had suspicion and hunch to go on. She was just about as clueless to their whereabouts as she was. She learned absolutely nothing from this conversation. That was just fantastic. Bulma nodded. "Well, I think that was all of my questions. Thank you for your help, and enjoy the rest of your day." She stood up, and started leaving the room.

"Hey, now." Hasky stood and caught up with her. "I might not know much about all of that, but I think I can point you to someone who does. You know where Jingle Village is?"

"Yeah. It's all the way up North, right?"

"Go there, and ask for a doctor called Flappe. He was more in the know about those kinds of things than I was. He actually got to work with the big wigs, directly. Tell him Hasky sent you, if he doesn't want to cough up the information."

"Thank you for your help, again," she said. "Have a good day."

"Come back and see me again soon, sweetie."


	18. Chapter 18

In case you missed it, I posted an update on Tuesday. Go check it out if you haven't, yet!

* * *

Bulma underestimated how cold Jingle Village was. Even this time of the year, the ground was covered in snow. She had picked up a coat and gloves on the drive there, but it still wasn't enough. She rubbed her shoulders, trying to warm herself up, and walked into the village square.

Jingle Village was tiny, with only a few dozen residents in total. They always kept to themselves, but that didn't stop the Red Ribbon Army from making a base at their doorstep. They terrorized the villagers, searching for some artifact they believed that they possessed. No one had the guts or power to put a stop to them. According to Dr. Flappe's interview, it was put to a stop by that Goku kid. Hopefully she'd find more answers, once she finally spoke with him. She walked around the cleared pathway, trying to find the house she was looking for. If she squinted, she could make out names above the doors, but she didn't see a sign of Flappe anywhere.

"Hi, there!"

Bulma turned around, and saw that she was approached by a girl, who looked to be about her age. She was holding a snow shovel, and dressed in a full winter coat – clearly a local. She had long red hair and brown eyes.

"What can I do for you? You look like you're lost."

"Yeah, I'm looking for Dr. Flappe. I was told he lives around here, and was hoping I could speak with him for a few moments."

"Oh, I can help you find him!" She pointed at the mountains. "He lives all the way out there, deep in the mountains."

Bulma sighed. Great. She was kicking herself for not springing for a pair of snow boots, earlier.

"I can get a friend, and we can take you up there, if you want! He normally doesn't like visitors, but maybe I can convince him to let you in!"

"That would be fantastic, thank you." Bulma held out her hand. "My name's Bulma, by the way."

She took her hand and shook it. "I'm Suno. We need to go find Eighter, and then we can get going to the Mountains. Come on!" She gestured for her to follow, and she did. "So, what do you need to ask him about?"

"I'm doing some digging into the Red Ribbon Army, and I just need to hear some stuff from him."

Suno suddenly stopped. "Oh. Why do you need to know?" She sounded so somber, all of a sudden. Bulma cringed, when she realized how callous that might have sounded. She had probably been alive to remember what their tyranny had been like. She shook her head. She'd have to be gentler. But how could she do it without freaking her out about their possible return?

"I just… need to hear what it was like for people who were a part of it. From the people that were there. Nothing more than that."

Suno nodded. "Okay. Then I think Eighter can tell you a lot, too. Come on." She started walking, again, and Bulma followed. She jogged to catch up to her steps.

"Do you remember what it was like, to live under the Red Ribbon Army?" Maybe a civilian's point of view would give her some insight. She could have seen or heard something from somebody. Any kind of information she could get would be helpful.

"Yes." Suno didn't look back, when she answered her.

"Do you know why they would set up camp all the way up here? Their base was on the other side of the world, practically."

"They were looking for the Dragon Balls."

She blinked. "You know about the Dragon Balls? Do you know why they were looking for them? Did they find all of them?"

"I never learned. I only know that Goku was looking for his grandpa's ball." She sighed. "Sweet, sweet Goku. I hope he's still doing okay – it's been so long since I last saw him." She giggled. "I bet he's even cuter, now!" There was another confirmation of Goku's involvement. No matter what she found today, Bulma knew that she had to track him down, next. If multiple people were saying that he was there, then the article's claims had to be true.

Suno raised her hand and waved it around. "Hey, Eighter! Come over here!" Across the field of snow was one of the biggest men she had ever seen. It was not just his size – he looked like something straight out of an old monster flick. His shoulders were broad and squared. His hair was short enough to see the stitches going across his forehead, along with one right under his eye. When he heard Suno call his name, he grinned, and ran over to them. The ground shook as he walked, nearly making Bulma fall over. He towered over the two women; as he leaned down to greet them.

"Suno," Eighter said. "How are you? What do you need?"

Suno gestured to Bulma. "This is Bulma. She needs to go talk to Dr. Flappe. Do you want to come?"

"I would love to see the doctor, again. Why do you need to talk to him, Bulma?"

"I just need to ask him about his… career."

Eighter looked confused. "Career? What do you mean?"

"It's about the Red Ribbon Army," Suno said. Bulma nodded. She had hoped to be a bit coyer, given how big he was, but that cat was out of the bag. Even with how amicable he seemed, she didn't want to go around pissing him off when she needed his help.

He responded exactly as Suno had. His smile faltered, and he grew somber. "Oh." He paused. "He should be able to tell you much, but he doesn't care for being questioned. I fear he might not be cooperative with you."

"Please. It's really important. I need to know everything I can about who they were. He's my best shot. There isn't anyone else that's still around who knows as much as he does. I don't think there's anyone else who was that high up the totem pole as he was who'd be willing to talk about it. It might be an emergency, so I really need to know."

Eighter looked down at her for several moments. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. We'll take you to him."

Eighter and Suno led Bulma through the snowy valleys and forests, crossing between the mountains. They jumped over ledges, ducked under low branches, and traversed their way through the deep snow. Bulma's feet had long since grown numb, now kicking herself more than ever for not springing for a pair of snow boots. Though she tried to keep her steps as light as possible, it was no use. She just hoped they'd get to their destination soon. Hopefully Dr. Flappe had a warm fire or something like that.

"So, uh, Eighter," she said, trying to distract herself from her freezing feet. "Were you around when the Red Ribbon Army was in Jingle Village?"

"I was in their old tower since they came to this village."

"Wow. So were you, like, a member?" Maybe she didn't even need to talk to Dr. Flappe. She could find out everything from this guy.

"In a way. I was created by Dr. Flappe before he left. My original title was Android 8. I was meant to kill, but I did not like it. The general saw me as a failure and tried to shut me down, when I refused to fight Goku. But Goku defended me, and called me a friend."

Bulma's eyes were wide. "Wait, hold on. You're an android?!" She didn't think any of them survived the war intact. Now that she saw how he moved, it looked a little mechanical – he walked with slow and precise steps. She thought back to the article about Dr. Flappe, where he did discuss the androids he built. Strange that he didn't mention that one was still functional.

"Yes," Eighter said. "If it weren't for Goku, I would not have met the mayor and his family. They took such good care of me, even if I am a machine. I could not have asked for anything more than this. The people of Jingle Village are good friends."

Suno hugged him, on his side. "Awww, Eighter. We love you, too." Eighter looked down, bashfully.

A new set of questions popped into Bulma's mind as she had listened to Eighter speak. All of the androids she had read about were built as nothing more than mindless killing machines. They were sent out in droves, fighting side by side with the Red Ribbon Army's soldiers. Yet, Eighter, either through design or maybe a miracle of a malfunction, had morality. He knew right from wrong. She needed to ask Dr. Flappe what he had hoped to accomplish, when he built this android. And she needed to know if he had worked on it alone.

"Hey, there it is – right up there!"

Bulma breathed out a sigh of relief, when she looked ahead. Thank goodness, the house was right there. And she saw smoke coming from outside of the chimney – that meant warmth. She was dying to get back inside and dry her socks. Suno went up to the door, with Eighter right behind her. Bulma stood off to the side, stepping onto the edge of the porch. It didn't do her feet much good, but at least she wasn't standing in the snow anymore.

"Hello," Suno said. "Dr. Flappe? Are you there?"

The door opened, and out came a short old man. His afro and mustache were a pure white, and he had large glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. He was dressed in a yellow coat, with a button-up shirt, pants, and a loose tie underneath. He looked annoyed, when he first opened the door, but his expression relaxed when he saw Suno and Eighter. "Ah, good afternoon, you two. What brings you all the way out here?"

"We met a friend out in the village, today. She said she was looking for you."

Dr. Flappe rolled his eyes. "Great. Journalists, I bet. Never trusted 'em. After that bastard made a mockery of my words, I won't take any more calls!"

Bulma cleared her throat. She stepped up to the doorway. "Hi. It's a pleasure to get to meet you at last, Dr. Flappe. I've read so much about you and your work."

He narrowed his eyes. "Wait… have I seen you somewhere, before? Have we met?"

"No, not at all. My name is Bulma, and I was hoping to ask you a few questions about your career. I promise I'm not a journalist."

"Bulma… you wouldn't happen to be related to Dr. Brief of Capsule Corporation, would you?"

She shrugged. "He's my dad, yeah."

"Is he, now? Well, if you're anything like your old man, then you should be able to understand everything. Please, come inside. All of you."

* * *

Bulma sat comfortably on a couch, huddled under a blanket that hung over her shoulders. Her sopping socks and shoes were sitting next to the fireplace, and her coat was hung on a coat rack against the wall. Dr. Flappe was busy catching up with Suno and Eighter, talking to them about how life in Jingle Village had been going. Bulma could only sit and wait patiently for them to finish speaking. She didn't want an audience for her questions, lest it cause panic. Gossip travelled fast, but with how secluded the doctor was, she didn't doubt that he would keep his mouth shut.

"You really need to stop by more often, doctor," Suno said. "We missed you at the first day of spring. You should at least show up for the summer solstice."

Dr. Flappe scratched his head, as he took a sip of his coffee. "Sorry, but with all of this damn snow, it's kind of hard to keep track of the time of year." They all laughed together, at his comment.

Flappe turned to Bulma. "So, what were those questions you asked me about? You haven't said a word, since you came in."

"Well," she said. "It's not exactly something that needs a crowd. No offense to you two, but I think I'd prefer to discuss this with you alone."

"Oh, of course. We can head down to my lab. Suno, Number Eight – feel free to make yourselves at home, in the meantime."

Eighter bowed his head. "Thank you, doctor."

"Don't mention it at all, sonny. Bulma, come with me." Bulma took off the blanket, and stood up, following Dr. Flappe to the back of the house, and down a flight of stairs. His lab was a modest one, with a few consoles, a computer sitting against the wall, and a gurney sitting in the middle of the room. Flappe folded up the gurney and pushed it against the wall, pulling out a rolling chair from his desk. Bulma grabbed a folding chair, and put it down in front of him.

"So," Flappe said. "What is it you wanted to speak to me, about? I bet my money it's about the Red Ribbon Army?"

"What was your first clue?"

"Dammit, that's the only reason I get visitors, nowadays. Some young journalist wants to come up to me and get into my business without asking, and acts like they're all high and mighty. Whoopty-doo – you can write paragraphs. Congratulations! Maybe don't patronize me and my time, and pretend like my stories aren't real, for a change!" He sighed. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. What would you like to know?"

She just stared at him, with concern for a few moments, before she nodded. "Right. So, how did you come to be in the Red Ribbon Army?"

"Connections. I studied engineering over forty years ago at Orange Star University, over in Satan City. I got to know a lot of scientists, both budding and aging. Apparently, whatever work I did over there impressed somebody, because I was tracked down and 'offered' a position in the science division." He held up two fingers and used air quotes when he said 'offered'.

"Orange Star… that's where my dad graduated."

"Yup – we worked together quite a bit, back in the day. Now that he's so rich and successful, the old coot's probably forgotten all about me." He shrugged. "Eh, such is life.

"Anyway, I worked closely with the rest of the science team to engineer weapons for the Red Ribbon Army. I didn't want to give in so easily. But when you're held at gunpoint, what else are you going to do? Eventually, I landed on the android project. They wanted to create super soldiers, able to do enough work for thirty men. We had to build them to last – able to withstand gunfire, missiles, and even a nuclear bomb. When we got to experimenting, we discovered that just machine and metal wasn't going to cut it. That was when the people came in."

"People?"

He nodded. "As ashamed as I am to admit it, I worked on some experiments on humans, combining them with machines. I was able to live with myself manufacturing weapons, but seeing the human life being destroyed first hand, I couldn't handle it. But, you know – gunpoint and all of that. There wasn't much I could do. I thought I could make the best of the situation. Maybe those super soldiers could be made to do good. That's when I built Android 8. I wanted him to be gentle and kind, unlike all of his brothers. The brief time I had to speak with him personally, I tried to teach him that violence was not the answer.

"You can imagine how well that goes over with the bloodthirsty autocrats. They thought I was undermining their goals, and wanted to make an example out of me. A colleague overhead it all, and warned me about it. I left in the middle of the night and never looked back."

"Goodness," Bulma whispered. Even with all of the literature she read, she had never really let it sink in how horrifying the Red Ribbon Army truly was. Turning people into machines. Killing their own members to prove a point. She might have read about it in a book, but hearing it first hand from Dr. Flappe made it real.

"I ended up here in Jingle Village. I thought, of all the places to look for me, they wouldn't look in a tiny village in the north. But, then they started looking for the Dragon Balls, and set up Muscle Tower just outside of town. The longer it took to find the balls, the more volatile they became. If it weren't for Goku, what could have happened?"

"About that, actually – what did Goku actually do? I've never heard anything about that, in detail."

"The kid was incredibly brave. He took down all of Muscle Tower by himself. He was looking for the Dragon Balls, and just stumbled onto us all the way out here. He rescued the mayor, and even brought Number 8 back to me. I didn't even know he was still functioning, but he asked me to remove the bomb planted in his chest. Goku never asked for anything in return, and didn't even complain. He just took it upon himself to do some good. I swear that kid's a saint."

"Do you really think he was the one who destroyed HQ?"

"I probably shouldn't say that for certain, but once he went chasing towards HQ, I stopped hearing news about them. Can't tell you much, though – I've only heard a few rumors from some old friends. If you want to hear more, you'd have to track down Goku and ask him, yourself."

Bulma nodded. She definitely knew where she needed to go, next. "Do you know where I should look for him, by chance?"

"Last I heard, he's still living out by Mt. Paozu. When he was here, he told us a few stories about his life living there with his grandfather. I'd say you start looking there, first. But, as far as their demise goes, that's all I've got. Any other questions for me?"

"Just two more. First – were you working on the android project alone?"

He shook his head. "Heavens, no. I wasn't even the leader of it. I was just a lackey, really. The guy calling the shots was an old professor of mine – Dr. Gero."

That name caught her attention. She had read through that huge book a thousand times, but never saw that name once. She didn't even remember reading his name in the appendixes. Then, a thought came to her. Was he in the missing pages? "Can you tell me more about him?"

"He was a genius, but an ambitious one, too. I could barely understand half of the stuff he was spouting out, but apparently, he wanted to explore the potential of melding machine and man. Someone discovered some pretty unethical experiments that he wanted to complete, and he became a huge pariah. The Red Ribbon Army picked him up, and put him in charge of the science division. He impressed them so much that they let him go through with the android project. His old career gave him a lot of connections. It's how I got involved, after all. Never actually found out what happened to him, when the Army went down."

This had to be it – the missing link. He had all of that power: placing him that high in the book made sense. And he had the talents and know-how to execute something like, say, sending an assassin out to kill Saiyans. She was getting warmer. She could just feel it.

"So, do you think that there could be… something left of the Red Ribbon Army out there? Do you think someone could be working on their behalf?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "Something left. What makes you think that?"

"A hunch. History shows that powers like that don't just limp quietly into the night. There had to be people out there that were fiercely loyal to them, and you know that loyalties die-hard. Someone might still want to continue their work."

Flappe put his finger on his chin, and hummed. "I guess. I haven't heard anything, so I can't tell you. Maybe someone could have gotten out of HQ alive, but I doubt that Red or Black is around to rally the troops, again." He paused for a moment, but then shrugged. "Who knows? Well, is that all your questions?"

That answer was about what she expected. If Flappe had stayed hidden all the way out here for so long, he wouldn't be in the loop. She nodded. "It definitely is. Thank you, Dr. Flappe. It was wonderful talking to you. I got more from this conversation than I was expecting to be completely honest." She stood up, and held out her hand.

He rose to his feet, as well, and shook her hand. "It was no problem, at all. Thank you for hearing an old man out. Though, I'm surprised you don't seem to know who Dr. Gero was. I thought your old man would have told you about him."

She blinked. This was certainly news to her. Her dad had never once mentioned a Dr. Gero, before. She hadn't even heard his name, before today. "Why would my dad know him?"

"Probably a better question for him than me. Well, if you need anything else related to whatever you're doing, feel free to stop by. I can tell you're more open minded than a lot of people I've come across."

She slowly nodded, distracted by what he had just told her. "I'll be sure to, sir. Thanks, again."

Bulma said goodbye to Suno and Eighter, thanking them for their help, and left in her hover car. During her drive, she couldn't stop thinking about what Dr. Flappe had told her. She thought she knew her father's career really well. Was he keeping something from her? He wasn't normally the type to keep secrets. This didn't make any sense. She needed to ask him some questions, when she got back home. Her gut told her that she wasn't seeing the bigger picture.

Questions would have to wait, for now. Next stop – Son Goku.


	19. Chapter 19

Early chapter because I am going to be very busy, tomorrow. I'm gonna be at a con, and I'm really excited! Anyway, enjoy!

Oh, and a huge thank you to my friend **xSonallyGirl129x** for drawing some art from my stories! She drew Bulma's ballgown from A Thrilling Chase, and it turned out amazing! Go over to her deviantart page, _ScissorSoulOtaku235_ , and give her some love. She's also a writer on here and makes some great Dragon Ball stories, too, and I'm sure you'd like them, too. Thank you again, my friend.

* * *

The sun was moving closer to the west horizon, slightly shrouded by the fog of Mt. Paozu. The natural beauty was untouched by man. The water of the lakes and rivers was so blue and clear that one could see to right to the bottom. Deer grazed along the grassy plains and birds huddled in tight nests in the trees. The only path that one could follow was a dirt one, carved into the edge of a cliff.

Bulma drove her car down the road, creating a trail of dust behind her. Roads meant that someone had to be living at the end of it. It might not be Son Goku, but whoever lived there might know where to find him. Plotting out houses in the middle of nowhere wasn't a priority, so she was driving completely blind. She just hoped she had enough gas for the trip home.

She didn't know much about Goku – she didn't find much in her late night researches. From what she could find, he was a master martial artist. He entered the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament when he was only twelve, and made it all the way to the finals. His fights against Jackie Chun and Tien Shinhan were dazzling, even if he lost by a narrow margin. He acted carefree during all of his matches, completely unbothered by his losses. She had suspected his talent, before: he had gone toe-to-toe with Piccolo, after all; but she wasn't aware of how much of a prodigy he was. She was eager to speak with him about this.

Then, over the horizon, a house appeared. She pulled her car over, parking it on the edge of the dirt road. She stepped out, and walked the rest of the way, looking around. If this weren't where she needed to be, she'd have to find someone to ask for directions.

On the front lawn, a little boy was reading a book. His head was tilting back and forth, as he turned the pages. Bulma smiled. She always loved kids. When he heard the footsteps, he closed his books and turned around, with a big smile on his face. But, when he saw her, his smile faltered. He looked around, appearing to look a little scared.

Bulma knelt down, keeping some distance between them. "Hey there."

He picked up his book, putting it in his lap, still not saying anything.

She couldn't help but smile. He was just shy – it was adorable. "Is your mom or dad home? Can I talk to them?"

He got up, struggling to lift the book with him, and ran across the lawn. He jumped up to grab the door handle, and hopped back down when he got it open. Bulma chuckled. What a sweet little boy. The door opened, again, and a young woman stepped out, as the child hid behind her legs.

"Hello," she said. "Can I help you?"

Bulma stood up. "Hi – do you know where Son Goku lives, by chance? I need to talk to him and ask him some questions."

She put her hands on her hips. "What do you need to ask?"

"It's nothing bad, I promise. I've been talking with some of his old friends about something really important, and they told me to ask him. I won't take up much of your time."

The woman looked at her with judgmental eyes. What was her deal? Bulma wasn't trying to sell her something or trying to abduct her kid. She hadn't given her a reason to distrust her, as far as she was aware.

Thankfully, she did nod. "Alright. Goku's my husband. He's off training, so you'll have to wait until he gets back."

Bulma smiled. "Fantastic! Thank you so much!" She walked up to her, and held out her hand. "I'm Bulma. It's nice to meet you."

Her eyes widened for a moment. "Oh!" She stared at her, before she returned her handshake. "It's nice to meet you as well. I'm Chi-Chi, and this," she shifted around, to look down at the boy, "is Gohan. He's mine and Goku's son." She gently nudged him with her foot. "Go on – say hi."

Gohan looked up at his mother for a moment, but then bowed, in front of Bulma. "H-hello."

"What a nice little gentleman." She giggled, and bowed. "It's very nice to meet you, Gohan." Gohan scurried back behind his mother, looking down, bashfully.

"Please, come inside," Chi-Chi said. "Would you like something to drink, while you wait?"

* * *

Chi-Chi came out from the kitchen, carrying a tray of drinks for her and Bulma – a mug of coffee for Bulma, and a cup of tea for herself. Bulma was sitting on the couch, and thanked her, as she was handed the mug. She breathed in the scent, and sighed, before she took a drink. When she swallowed it, her eyes widened. This was some of the best coffee she'd ever had. She had to find out what recipe or mix she used, before she left. Chi-Chi sat down next to her, sipping on her tea.

"So, do you know how long it will take Goku to get here?"

Chi-Chi scoffed. "I never know. He might not be back until the break of dawn. All it is with my husband is training, training, training. The only thing he likes more than that is eating." She put her hand behind her head, and started speaking in a silly voice. "'Oh, Chi-Chi, can I go out and train, again? How long is it going to be until dinner's ready? I swear I'll be back, in time!'"

Bulma laughed. Sounded a lot like someone she knew. "My boyfriend is the exact same way. Should we compare notes? Does he tend to hurt himself, while doing it?"

"Oh, you don't know the half of it. But it makes him happy. I guess as long as he comes home every once and while, I'll live. Of course, it doesn't help that Piccolo's an enabler." She sighed. "I sometimes wonder how I put up with it all."

Bulma did a double take. "Did you say Piccolo?" Chi-Chi nodded. "Is he a big guy? Pointy ears? Turban and cape? Always looks angry?" She mimed along as she described his features.

"That's the one." She pointed to the wall behind them. "See for yourself."

When she turned around, her jaw dropped. There was a huge painting of Goku with Chi-Chi, Gohan, and, behind all of them, Piccolo. She pressed her fingers on her forehead. She had no idea. Out of all of the people she knew, Piccolo was the last person she would have expected to settle down and become domestic. A lot could change in three years, but she hadn't thought of this. She suspected he might have gone to live with Kami, maybe wander around and live wherever. Never this, though.

She shook her head, and turned back around. "Piccolo's an old friend of mine. I just… I didn't expect this. I'm sorry."

Chi-Chi nodded. "I know."

"What do you mean? What do you know?"

"That you were one of Piccolo's old masters, when he was still in the Dragon Ball. He said that you were the only one of them that wasn't a delinquent. I should probably thank you for doing what you did. We wouldn't have met him, if you hadn't."

"He told you?!"

"Everything."

She looked down. "Wow… I would have never thought…" He hadn't even told her his past – she learned it from the Grand Elder. If he trusted them so much that he told them everything... She didn't know everything, but she was so proud of him. She knew he'd be able to move on. "Does he just live with you guys?"

"Mm-hmm. He helps me out around the house, trains with my husband, and even looks after our son." She giggled. "Oh, Gohan was head over-heels for Piccolo, when he came to live here. It took a while for me to warm up to him, but Piccolo is good people. He's got a nice head on his shoulders."

"What about Goku?"

"Oh, Goku was even worse than Gohan. Sometimes I swear that my husband has a husband." She sighed, and shook her head, but she smiled. "But I love them. I wouldn't want it any other way."

Before Bulma could say something else, Chi-Chi stood up. "Well, looks like he's on his way back. I'll introduce you two." She was about to ask how she could tell, but then she felt a familiar energy, herself. That answered her question – she could probably sense ki. She had long since grown rusty, only able to recognize her closest friends. And there was one heading their way that she could never forget.

Chi-Chi walked out the door, leaving it open. Bulma scooted to the edge of the couch, to see what was going on outside. "Welcome home."

There he was – sitting on a flying cloud. He jumped off, with a large smile on his face. "Hey, Chi-Chi! What's for dinner? I'm starving."

Chi-Chi shook her head. "In a moment. We actually have a visitor who wanted to talk to you about something. She said it was important."

"Huh? Really?"

"She's been here for a while, so you shouldn't keep her waiting."

"Okay!" He walked over to the house, still keeping than big grin on his face.

Bulma stood up, and approached him, as he entered the parlor. "Hi. Are you Son Goku?"

"Sure am! Who are you?" He looked up at her hair. He pushed his hand down on it. "And why is your hair all poofy?"

Bulma pushed his hand away, still trying to keep a straight face. "My name's Bulma. I've heard a lot about you, and it's nice to finally meet you."

"Bulma?" He turned over his shoulder. "Yo! I think your friend's here! She has really weird hair!" She sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. That settled it – when she got home, she was getting a haircut.

Piccolo entered the house, ducking under the doorframe. He raised an eyebrow, when he saw Bulma. "What are you doing here?"

She tilted her head to the side. "Hey, Piccolo." She waved at him. "As I was about to say," She looked back at Goku. "I need to ask you a few questions about your life. I was told you've faced off against the Red Ribbon Army. Is that right?"

"Yup! Sure did! They were really tough, too."

Well, that was a place to start. She sat back down on the couch. "So, what can you tell me about them?"

Goku plopped down on the couch next to her, crossing his arms. "They weren't very nice people. They were holding the mayor at Jingle Village hostage so that a bunch of guys would work with them to find the Dragon Balls. One of them shot me in my tail. It really hurt."

"Your tail?" She tried to get a better look at his lower back – she didn't see a tail, when he had come in.

"Uh-huh. It got cut off a long time ago, though. And then there was this other guy: Mercenary Tao. He killed my friend Upa's dad to take the Dragon Ball for them. Now that guy was tough. If I hadn't gotten up to see Korin, then I would have been toast."

Bulma nodded. She did remember reading about Tao. As the title suggested, he was just a hired hand, a bit like Hasky. As long as the price was right, he promised to kill any man, woman, or child the person requested. Only difference was that Tao was much more infamous. A lot of high profile assassinations were attached to his name. He was impossible to catch because of his speed and strength. He was only hired for one mission, but it was enough to leave an impact on the people who survived. Maybe she needed to go back to Hasky and ask her more.

"Goku," Chi-Chi said. "That was who Tien went up against at the tournament, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. He was Master Shen's younger brother. He looked different then – he was all metal and stuff. He could pull knives from his body, too. I think he called himself a cyborg, or something."

"Cyborg," Bulma asked. Not an android, but a half-mechanical man with ties to the Red Ribbon Army might mean something. "Did he ever tell you how he became one?"

"Nah, I don't think he did. He blew himself up, after our first fight. Then at the tournament, he said he spent a lot of money to be brought back as one. Tien managed to knock him out, and his brother took him away, after the fight."

This couldn't have been a coincidence. "Did you hear anything about someone name Dr. Gero?"

Goku hummed. "Nope. Never met him."

Bulma sighed. After what she heard from Dr. Flappe, she had hoped he had a run-in with him. Then, she would have at least gotten confirmation whether or not he was still alive. "Okay. What happened at HQ?"

"So, after Upa's dad died, I told him I'd get the other Dragon Balls to bring him back to life. They already had two Dragon Balls, so I had to go through there to get them all. And those Red Ribbon guys had really ticked me off – one of them chased Krillin and me through a cave. So I got to beat them up, too. They had a lot of guns and explosions, but they were weak. I had to get all the way to the top to get them, too. The boss said that we should work together, but I don't wanna be friends with bad guys." Piccolo scoffed, but Goku didn't hear it. "Then he fought me in his big robot suit, but he was slow in it, too. He tried to send a bomb at me, but it blew up a mountain, instead. I just punched through the robot suit and it blew up. After that, I got the next two Dragon Balls."

Goku was speaking so casually. As if this was no big deal for him. The Red Ribbon Army terrorized Earth for years and called themselves the most evil army in the world, yet the person who defeated them didn't think much of it. Maybe that was why she didn't doubt his story. If he had been boastful, she would have been more skeptical. Plus, he just didn't seem like the kind of guy that would lie.

"Do you know if anyone got out?"

"All the people that were running. They weren't the bad guys shooting at me, so I just let them go."

There it was: confirmation that not everyone was killed. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her. "One last question: do you think there could be some remnants out there? Could someone be working for the Red Ribbon Army on their behalf, even after all of this time?"

He tilted his head from side to side. "I dunno." He scratched his head. "It's been a really long time, so I don't really know the point of that." He shrugged.

She nodded. "No more questions. Thank you for your help, Goku."

"Sure!" Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly. He laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Can we eat, now? I'm starving!"

Chi-Chi shook her head, and stood up. "Of course, Goku. Bulma, if you want to stay for dinner, we'd love to have you."

She looked down at her watch. It had gotten late. "No, I should probably get going. It's a long drive to get back home. Thank you for all your help. If I come up with anything else, I might stop by. Thanks, again!" She waved, and walked out the door.

"Bye!" Goku waved back.

Bulma went back to her car. Her days of research gave her a lot to work with. It wasn't the clear answers she had hoped for, but it was more than she would have expected. There was still more work to be done, of course. Now, she had to put these leads to good use, and start some serious digging. But, as far as she was concerned, it was a good start. She had plenty to report to everyone back on Planet Vegeta.

"Kid, wait."

Bulma stopped, as she was about to jump into her car. Piccolo had followed her out of the house. She smiled. She was in a hurry to get home, but she always had time for him. "Hey again, Piccolo. Sorry if it seems like I turned up, out of the blue. I actually wasn't expecting to find you here." She looked back at the house. "So, you've settled down with a family. I didn't think you had it in you."

"That makes two of us."

"But I am really happy for you. It's like I told you – you're a good guy, Piccolo. Isn't this so much better than where you thought you'd be?"

"Better than being cooped up in a Dragon Ball, for sure."

She laughed. "Yeah, I can imagine. Anyway, what do you need?"

"Why did you ask Goku all of those questions, if you don't mind me asking?"

She sighed. She probably shouldn't have told him this, but she trusted Piccolo. He knew the Saiyans, and he wasn't one to spread gossip. "Something really bad has been going on, back on Planet Vegeta. We've been trying to figure it out for months without a lead. The Red Ribbon Army was our closest clue, and I'm seriously thinking they might be involved."

He raised a brow. "What do you mean by something?"

"A lot of Saiyans have died. So, you can tell, we need to get to the bottom of it all. I can't tell you anymore than that."

He nodded. "Just take care of yourself. And make sure you watch your back." He turned around and went back into the house.

Bulma blinked. Those words were cryptic – a lot unlike Piccolo. He was usually really blunt and to-the-point about everything. What did he mean by 'watch your back'? Did he know something that she didn't? She hoped it wasn't serious – with everything going on, it wouldn't make the situation any better. But, with all that she knew, she could only wonder. She jumped back into her car and drove off, leaving a cloud of dust in her path.

Piccolo did not know what to say to her. He had recognized the name Dr. Gero, even if it had slipped out of Goku's mind. He didn't know how to break it to Bulma that he will be potentially responsible for the end of the world as they knew it, or that he was planning on kidnapping her to turn into an android. Nor did he know how to tell her that he only knew this because he spoke to her son from the future. The warning was all he could reasonably say without a lengthy explanation.

After hearing everything, he couldn't help but try to connect the two situations. Whatever was going on with the Saiyans, could it be connected with the androids? If he had more time, he might have done some digging of his own. Unfortunately, an interplanetary conspiracy wasn't the most pressing issue for him. Getting stronger was his top priority. The androids were still coming, no matter what the situation was. Hopefully, he, Goku, and the others would be ready for them in time.


	20. Chapter 20

Stay tuned to the end of this chapter for a question. Enjoy!

* * *

Goku leaned backwards, as Chi-Chi threw a punch at him. He blocked her oncoming kick with his forearm, and blocked her fist with his hand. Chi-Chi tried to get a hit to connect, but he dodged and blocked every single one of them. Piccolo stood across the field watching the spar going down.

"You can do it, mommy," Gohan cheered, sitting next to where Piccolo stood. He had a book in his lap, but he was more interested in the fight.

Two months had passed, since Trunks had warned them about the androids. Goku and Piccolo has spent every waking hour training. They were pushing past their limits, wanting to become stronger than before. Piccolo had begun sparring at his full power, no longer as afraid to keep it hidden. Not that Goku was not enjoying these spars – he found them exciting and challenging. Sometimes, he would beg him to fight at his full power. He wasn't discouraged by the power gap between them – it only made him more determined to match it.

When they weren't training with each other, they were training Chi-Chi. Goku and Piccolo took turns teaching her how to hone her strength. Though she was rusty, she picked up on the basics easily. Goku was the gentle and supportive mentor, while Piccolo was much more demanding with her results. A balance was struck with this. In order for a pupil to flourish, they needed a bit of both.

Piccolo still thought it was a shame that Gohan couldn't learn anything. Trunks had shown that half-Saiyans could be just as powerful as full-blooded ones. He knew that Gohan wasn't a fighter by nature, but even a little bit of training could have been useful to him. He was growing to worry that Chi-Chi, alone, might not be enough defense against villains, if he or Goku weren't there. Giving Gohan some training would help with that. Goku had tried to persuade Chi-Chi once more since then, but she refused to budge. He would hate for all that potential to go to waste.

Chi-Chi spun around and tried to kick him again, but Goku grabbed her calf. "You shouldn't spin around like that. You're wasting your energy."

She pulled her leg away, and stood back on her feet. She pushed her hair out of her face. "I told you this was pointless. I'm not going to get as strong as either of you two, so why bother?"

"Hey, don't think like that." Goku put his hands on her shoulders. "Just because you aren't stronger now doesn't mean you won't be, in the future. All you need is more practice. You won't get stronger, if you give up now."

As Goku and Chi-Chi went back and forth on the topic, Piccolo began to think about their training. He had felt the raw power that Vegeta had displayed, during his fight with Frieza. He had seen Trunks show off the exact same thing, just a month earlier. Saiyans seemed to have a lot of potential, when it came to fighting; more than any other race might have had.

If that truly was the case, then how much potential did Goku have?

"That's enough," he said, as he walked up to the sparring couple. Goku and Chi-Chi ceased their fight. "If you're this down on yourself now, we might as well stop, for the day. We can pick this up when you don't feel like whining." Chi-Chi glared at him, and he glared right back at her. She pushed past him, walking over to Gohan. He shook his head. "You ready to head out, Goku?"

"Can I talk to you about something, first?"

Piccolo sighed, but they went together, regardless.

"So, I was thinking and, you know… Chi-Chi's getting pretty strong and all, but… maybe we could still-"

"Train Gohan?"

"Yeah, that. I don't know how we could, but maybe we can find a way to do it without her finding out."

"You're really willing to go behind her back, like this?"

Goku shrugged. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her. I'm sure it'll be fine. What do you think?"

He thought that he would never ask. "What do you suggest?"

"Maybe we can take turns, or something? You spend a week with Gohan, while I'm with Chi-Chi. Then we trade, you're with Chi-Chi and I'm with Gohan."

"Make it two."

"Deal!"

* * *

"Do you really have to go, mommy and daddy?"

Chi-Chi hugged Gohan. "Oh, it'll only be for two weeks. We'll be back, before you know it."

"Besides," Goku said. "You get to hang out with Piccolo!" He tapped his finger on his nose, making him giggle. "I know you'll have a lot of fun, together." Goku looked up and winked at Piccolo, who just shook his head.

Chi-Chi kissed the top of his head. "Be good, Gohan. Don't forget to do all your homework. If you need anything, just ask Piccolo. I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, mommy."

Goku called for Flying Nimbus, and it flew down. He and Chi-Chi climbed on board and it zoomed off into the sky. They waved, as they took off. Piccolo watched the flying cloud, until he couldn't see it anymore.

"Gohan."

He looked over his shoulder. "Yes, Mr. Piccolo?"

"Go inside and pack your things. We'll be going out, for a while."

He smiled. "Okay!" He skipped back into the house. Piccolo couldn't help but smile, as the tiny tot hopped through the front door. If someone had told him this would be his life, all those years ago, he would have called him or her insane. He never thought he would be content with this domestic life. And yet here he was.

Gohan struggled to drag the duffle bag out of the house. A few books stuck out from the top, and stuffed animals hung off the sides. Piccolo easily picked it up and hauled it over his shoulder. He scooped Gohan up with his other arm, and flew off in the opposite direction that Goku and Chi-Chi took.

"Mr. Piccolo, where are we going?"

"You know your mother and father are training together, right?"

"Yeah…"

"While that's going on, I'll be training you."

Gohan looked more confused than anything. "Mommy said I shouldn't be doing that."

"Well, your father and I say that you should: two against one."

"But… I don't wanna learn how to fight. I wanna study and be a scholar."

Piccolo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He certainly was his mother's son. "That's fine and good, but a day may come when you'll have to defend yourself without our help. You'll have a hard time being a scholar if you're dead."

He quickly realized that was the wrong thing to say to a small child. Gohan gasped, and looked around. He started shaking, and tears began to well in his eyes. Piccolo shook his head, and took a quick landing on a cliff. He set Gohan down in front of him.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you, Gohan: there are a lot of bad men out there who want to do harm. I can't tell you how or why: it just is. That might be scary to think about, but the sooner you come to grips with it, the better. The best you can do is be prepared for it. That's all your father and I want. What happens afterwards is up to you. If you want to train seriously, you can. If not, then you don't have to. Understand?"

Gohan sniffled. "Okay…"

"Good." Piccolo wiped his tears away with his thumb, making Gohan giggle. "Now, if we get there before dark, we might be able to start today."

This time, Piccolo didn't even need to pick him up – he jumped up and hugged him. He froze, not expecting the affectionate gesture. Gohan just smiled up at Piccolo, tilting his head to the side. He smiled down at him, and wrapped an arm around him, before taking back off into the sky.

* * *

Kami chuckled, and shook his head. Piccolo certainly had come a long way, since he was reborn all those years ago. In some sense, it might have been good that he had put him in the Dragon Ball: if not, he might not have met Goku and his family.

On the other side of the Lookout, Krillin and Yamcha were sparring. Mr. Popo was standing to the side, observing their match, and Tien Shinhan meditated on his own. They were taking turns fighting against each other, testing and honing the new techniques that Kami had taught them. The Earth warriors had come far, but there was always room for growth. They had made much progress in a short span of time, but he feared that it might not have been enough. He feared that the premonition might have been false. That something far more sinister could be brewing beneath their feet. He only had his instinct and feelings to go off of, but he was certain that this was the case. It only made the need to get stronger more and more urgent than it was, before.

He still kept an eye on the warriors, down below. He agreed with his other half's sentiment: Son Goku had much potential. The only thing he feared was unlocking it. When feeling out the powers of the warrior from the future, he sensed much pain and anger from him. He knew little of the other Saiyan Piccolo spoke of, but he had to assume it was the same. If that was the key to unlocking that vast amount of power, then he pitied the poor soul who would do so for Goku.

Kami stepped up towards the others. "That's enough, you two." Krillin and Yamcha immediately ceased their spar, and stood at attention next to each other. "Tien, please come join us." Tien opened his closed eyes and walked over to join them. "I am very pleased with your progress, boys. Yet, there is much more that can be done. I do think I have a solution, and I think you're ready for it. Mr. Popo, if you may."

"Of course, Kami." Mr. Popo walked into the temple, and came back out carrying a chest. He unlocked the hatches and opened it. Inside were blue undershirts, sweatbands, and boots – similar in style to what Goku wore.

Yamcha tilted his head to get a better look. "Hey, what's with the new threads?"

"These are new additions to your training regimen." He lifted one of the shirts out of the box with his staff, setting it on the floor. "Try it on."

Yamcha shrugged, and worked his way out of the top of his gi. He tried to lift it off of the ground, but it wouldn't budge. His eyebrows furrowed. He tried again, getting the same results. One last time, he planted his feet on the ground and pulled it up off of the ground. "Man, what's this thing made of," he said, in a strained voice.

"Quite ordinary cloth. It's only been enchanted to weigh more than what it appears. The more you practice wearing these clothes, the stronger you'll be able to get."

Krillin snapped his fingers. "Yeah, that's like what Master Roshi had us do with the turtle shells."

"That's correct. You will start by wearing just the shirts. Put them on under your gis, as I'm sure you've seen Goku wear them. When you have grown accustom to the weight, we will add the shoes and gauntlets to your uniforms."

Yamcha struggled to lift the shirt over his head, but finally got his arms through the sleeves. When the shirt fell onto his shoulders, he grunted. He was breathing heavily. "And Goku made it look easy. This is really rough." He exhaled.

Krillin struggled to lift his shirt ouf of the box. "Oh, come on." He clenched his teeth, as he picked it up, let it sit in his arms. "I-it's not that bad." He tried to hold it one arm, as he removed the top of his gi. He was balancing on one leg to keep stead. "Just needs a little bit of work." He tripped and stumbled forwards, but caught himself before he could fall on his face.

Tien shook his head. "You guys are pathetic. It's just a shirt." He reached into the chest, grimacing as he got a grip on it. He grunted, as he managed to lift it over his head. He didn't complain, but his face was growing red and his arms and legs were shaking.

Kami chuckled, and exchanged a knowing glance with Mr. Popo. Goku had the exact same reaction when he first tried on the weighted clothes. Of course, he was only a child back then. "I'll give you the afternoon to get used to it. I want you wearing them from now on in all of your training. Report back here tomorrow morning, and we will discuss what we are going to do, next."

"Right," they all said in unison.

"You may rest."

Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien went into the temple. They were moving their arms around and stretching, trying to figure out how to move in the heavy and constricting material.

"Man this training has been tougher than I thought it would be." Krillin laughed. "Goku made it sound so easy."

"Yeah, but look at us," Yamcha said. "We're getting stronger and stronger! There's no limit! Those androids won't know what hit them!"

"And imagine how strong Goku's getting. If we're getting this strong, how much do you think he's grown?"

"You shouldn't." Krillin and Yamcha looked at Tien. "We shouldn't be thinking about Goku. We can't get complacent and assume we can rely on him. You remember what Piccolo said – none of us survived. If it comes down to us, then we have to be ready."

Tien was right. How many bad guys would have gone undefeated, if not for Goku? The world would have been a different place, if he weren't around. But what if Goku wasn't around, when the androids attacked? They needed to be ready, if it all came down to them. They might not have Goku's gifted strength, but that didn't give an excuse not to try. They weren't going to be left in the dust.

* * *

So, about the Earthlings - Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien. I have the idea of a chapter or two dedicated to their training. Is that something you'd be interested in seeing? I feel like I've been neglecting them a little bit, and want to give them a little bit of time in the spotlight. I do have plans for them, in this story, but it's been more than a minute since the last time we heard from them before this chapter. Just let me know if that's something you'd be interested in hearing. Thanks!


	21. Chapter 21

Bulma was relieved to finally be back home. She was dead tired, from all of the driving and hunting she had done, over the course of the past few weeks. Still, she felt accomplished. She'd learned much more than she ever anticipated. There was still work to be done, but she felt good enough to take a breather, for now.

It was a shame that her body had other ideas.

She couldn't go out and enjoy herself when she couldn't bare get out of bed in the morning. If she took two steps outside of her bedroom door, she immediately felt lightheaded, needing to lie down. For days, she had to have everything brought to her bed. She didn't know what had come over her. Maybe she was just sick. She tried to shrug it off as her getting acclimated to Earth germs, again, but that usually didn't hit her like this. Even as it began to pass, she was still feeling weak and fatigued. She couldn't eat much food without feeling as if she was going to hurl. It was miserable.

To make it worse, if she wasn't relaxing and taking it easy as she wanted to, it felt like wasted time. She could be going out doing more research, but she was lying in bed all day. She couldn't even use this as an excuse to take it easy. She just wanted to go out and learn more. Her breakthrough could be right around the corner, but she couldn't go get it. If there was one thing that drove her nuts, it was being held down like this. All she could manage was reading the same text she's read a million times looking for something new. The frustration made her head hurt.

There was a knock at the door. Bulma sighed, pushing her laptop off of her, and sat up. "It's open."

Her mother came in, holding a tray of food. "Feeling any better, sweetie?" She laid the tray down on her lap.

Bulma sighed, taking sips of the drink. "Not really."

She put her hand on her forehead, then down to her cheeks. "You're not warm. Is it just sleep?"

"You wouldn't think that, given how long I've been chained to this room. I thought it might have been a bug, but it should have passed, by now."

Her mother took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Is there anything else wrong? Are you having trouble eating?"

"Kind of. It feels like I'm seconds away from hurling, if I eat anything solid. Can't even remember the last solid meal I had. Why?" She slowly started chewing on her food.

"Dear, are you and Vegeta sexually active?"

Bulma nearly spit out her food, but quickly swallowed it, in surprise. She looked at her mother, dumfounded, but she looked as if she was expecting an answer. She sighed. "Yeah, we are." Her cheeks flushed, in embarrassment. Why was her mother so open with talking about sex?

"When was the last time you remember being with him?"

"A couple days before we left. Mom, can we change the subject?"

"Were you at least careful?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Careful?"

"You know – condoms, birth control, anything?"

Sometimes they were, but that time in the cave, they weren't. Damn Vegeta and his spontaneity. She never did figure out how effective the pill was with interspecies intercourse, though, so who knew if the efforts even mattered.

She sat there silently for a few moments before her eyes went wide. "Mom, are you saying I'm pregnant?!"

"I was the exact same way, when I had you girls – tired and sick as a dog. Go ask your father how bad it was for both of us. It wouldn't surprise me, at all. You know how accurate a mother's intuition is."

Bulma didn't reply. She leaned forward, putting her hand on her forehead. She never even considered that. They'd been intimate so many times that she assumed maybe they weren't that compatible. As she thought about it, she realized it had been a while since her last period. She needed an answer to this now, and she needed it to be definitive. "Mom, can you have a bot run out and grab a couple dozen pregnancy tests?"

"Of course, dear!"

* * *

She sat on the bathroom floor, staring at the twenty plastic tubes. She hoped that one of them would give her a different answer. They weren't always accurate. There were other reasonable explanations that would give her a less-than-accurate result. Surely, if she kept trying, one of them would give her the signs she wanted.

Yet, all in a row, the tests read the exact same thing – positive.

She wanted to deny it, but she knew that the most obvious answer was the right one.

Bulma put her face in her hands. She didn't bawl or cry out, but she sat there silently. Why did it happen now, of all times? She was far away from her home and her boyfriend, there was a killer on the loose, and so much was at stake. She and Vegeta had discussed their future once or twice, but kids never came into the conversation. Kids meant commitment, and it forced her to confront the inevitable – that she would one day have to marry into the royal family and become queen. And that thought still terrified her.

Vegeta had been more than accommodating to her fears. He knew that was a big step, and he understood what it felt like to be forced into such a hefty responsibility. The ambassador job had been his idea to acclimate her to royal life and duties. But an ambassador was still a job. A queen meant something completely different. It had power and respect. She was not ready to have any of that.

She touched her stomach. Even if this wasn't planned, she couldn't bear to think about being rid of it. This was still her baby. She always loved kids, and a part of her still dreamed of the day that she could help raise one of her own. It wasn't from a one-night stand, but from the man she loved. They never talked about kids, but their entire relationship was built on taking things one day at a time. She wasn't a mother, quite yet. She still had time, if she wasn't ready to become queen. Vegeta understood: he wouldn't get upset. Her confidence grew a little, as she thought more about this. She still wished that it had waited until later, but what was done was done.

"Giving your mother trouble already, aren't you," she said, with a sigh. "You better make this up to me, when you're older." She let out a small laugh, and shook her head.

Even with her anxiety, she could convince herself that it was going to work out fine.

It always did, after all.

* * *

When the clock hit 2, Bulma opened the communicator on her computer. She typed in the codes, and waited for the other line to pick up. She pressed her hands together. She was just going to come out and say it to Vegeta. If she wasted time with explaining everything, she'd lose her nerve. She just needed to tell him. Then, everything would be all right. It was only a few words.

The screen flashed, and a guard sat on the other end. He didn't even say hello, when he saw Bulma. He immediately stood up and left the room, to find Vegeta. Bulma giggled. Some of the Saiyans knew her so well.

The door opened, once more, but Vegeta wasn't there. It was the same guard, as before. He sat down, again. " _I'm sorry, Bulma, but the prince isn't able to speak, right now._ "

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Why? Where is he? Did something happen?"

He sighed. " _He's out with the king, somewhere in the city. There's been another murder, and he wanted to be there, personally. If you have something important, I'll make sure someone gets it to him, but this is rather important._ "

She felt like all of the wind was knocked out of her. She dared to ask. "Do you know how many more have happened?"

" _I dunno_ ," he shrugged. " _A few. Maybe four or five. We've been getting more in the past couple weeks. Now, do you have anything you want to leave for the prince?_ "

After a moment of hesitation, she shook her head. "Thank you for telling me, though." The soldier hung up the call, without another word.

Bulma slowly closed the laptop. She held her arms. During her investigation, a growing body count had never come to mind. All those people were dying, and she still hadn't found anything to make it stop. The Saiyans must have felt so much dread, and she had been completely oblivious, these past couple of months. She hadn't felt this way since she first saw the Saiyans camped out in the tunnels, hiding from Frieza.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how Vegeta was feeling. He might have been a Super Saiyan, but the murders were still happening. He had pushed himself so hard to overcome his limits, never thinking he was good enough. What kind of self-loathing and pain must have he been feeling?

Did he deserve to have another burden? Another thing to worry about, on top of everything else?

There was a time and a place for everything. When this whole thing was over, she'd tell him then and there. For now, there were more important things to worry about. The baby wasn't going away anytime soon, after all. In a few months, she could tell Vegeta everything. He'd understand. She wasn't keeping it a secret from him forever: just holding off until things were calm, again. It was for the best – it gave her time to think about everything and it wasn't a burden. It was only temporary.

And it made her more determined to solve these murders once and for all.


	22. Chapter 22

"Oh my god, Anne's alive!" - everyone getting this notification.

Yeah, sorry about the long hiatus. I have just been stuck in a rut with my writing, not feeling motivated or inspired to do anything. I have been stuck on this part of the story for months, just getting nothing done. But, I managed to get something together. I have a few more chapters ready to go, but I can't guarantee that we're back to regular updates. In the meantime, Twitter is the best way to see what I'm doing - annelovesspam.

Thank you all for being patient. Please enjoy.

* * *

 _Planet Vegeta_

Dread and anxiety were shared by Saiyans all across the city. Every morning, they braced themselves for news of another murder, praying a loved one had not been met with slaughter. Rules had grown strict. Soldiers, called from all over the planet, were posted at every street corner, monitoring everyone who went past. The curfew was strictly enforced, and anyone caught outside of their homes in the dead of night were detained on the spot. People were not allowed in or out of the city without expressed permission.

Yet the murders persisted.

The trail had run cold. No new evidence could be gleaned from the growing body count. It was all the same as before, with no pattern. When one seemed to be forming, the next victim would throw it all off. Not since Frieza's takeover had so many feared for their lives.

While the main science team at the palace continued to get nowhere, Mizu and Okra continued their research independently. They snuck into the crime scenes while the others were gone and before they could be cleaned up to gather as much evidence as possible, before retreating to their homemade lab. Mizu gained access to the palace's files from an inside source, finding that the palace team had not made it further than they did.

Not that this wasn't a good decision. It was much more freeing working on their own time with their own resources than working under Haricot's iron thumb. It was a breath of fresh air for Mizu, who had forgotten how wonderful it was to work with her old mentor.

Still, it was frustrating that they hadn't got anywhere.

"Okra," Mizu said. "Do you have any ideas about the killer?"

She looked over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"You know, I thought maybe if we brainstorm together, we can come up with some new ideas. Maybe we can finally get somewhere, you know?" She squirmed in her seat. She hoped she liked her idea. She didn't want to disappoint her.

Okra looked down for a moment, as she thought. She pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. "Well… what do you think?"

Mizu stared for a moment, before she realized she had asked her a question. "Well, you know, what about the victims? Is there anything similar about them? I mean, they're all Saiyans, but is there anything else about them? That might pinpoint a suspect."

She hummed. "I think that you're looking at it from the wrong perspective. Have you thought about the ones that got away?"

"What do you mean? They all died, when he got his hands on them."

Okra lifted her finger. "That's what you'd assume. But you remember where we got our first description of the murderer from, don't you?"

"You mean Bulma? What about her?"

"Go back to the files, and look at that DNA sample, again."

Mizu stood up and went back to the tablet. She scrolled through the information, looking for what she was talking about. Then, she remembered the hair sample. Once she found it, she read through the information. The sample was compared with thousands of other races, for a compatible match. There was one that was perfect – Earthling.

"You see," Okra said. "The DNA from the murder came from Earth. The only person who's managed to get away from the murder was an Earthling. Have you considered that connection?"

Mizu turned around. "Are you saying Bulma's involved?" She didn't care much for Bulma, but she never came off that way. She helped them defeat Frieza. She couldn't be some raging tyrant.

"No, not necessarily. But it's something to consider, isn't it? Even if she's not involved, this is still an Earthling with a grudge against Saiyans. Maybe there's a reason they're taking so many of us out."

Mizu looked back down at the evidence. Maybe she was right. There might be something more to this story that they weren't looking for. They needed to shift their focus away from Planet Vegeta. If the culprit came from Earth, that's where they needed to start looking. "But how are we going to find anything, out here?"

Okra took the tablet, thumbing through the applications. "I think you underestimate how much information the lab gets. A little bit of fiddling around, and we can find anything we want. How do you think I was able to find out about Saibamen, for my project?"

Mizu began to perk up. They were going to solve this, and she knew it.

* * *

Vegeta stood on the roof of the palace, overlooking the city. That murdering coward was down there somewhere, he knew it. Each night, like clockwork, he stared down from above keeping vigil from the moment the sun went down until it rose, again. If he could catch him right as the murder was happening, then he could finally do him in. Yet no matter what, even as a full-powered Super Saiyan, he wasn't able to catch him. He'd hear a scream, rush in, and he'd be already gone. How could someone do so much damage in so little time, then slink back into the shadows?

Was his current power not enough?

He had endured so much to attain his legendary form, again: months of agonizing training into the darkest hours of the night. He had surpassed his limitations and broken the barrier as he did against Frieza. Yet, it was not enough.

The legends never did mention anything about a power beyond the "Super Saiyan". No one had ever gotten close to it. Everyone who believed had assumed that was the end of it. Could there be such a thing? A level beyond a Super Saiyan?

Could he be the one to make that breakthrough?

Vegeta heard someone walk up to stand beside him – it was Nappa. He glanced at him for a moment, before continuing his vigil over the city.

"Vegeta," he said. "It's getting late. Go get some rest."

"Don't give me orders. I'll sleep when I sleep."

"Didn't your father tell you about the council meeting, tomorrow morning? You should be better rested for it."

Yes, the king had asked Vegeta to sit in on that. It was a part of his plan to bring Vegeta into the world of ruling and delegacy at a gradual pace. So, if something were to happen to the king again, Vegeta could preside over the kingdom with no trouble.

Right before Vegeta could take a step down, there was a yell. Faster than a ki blast, he jumped off of the roof and flew in that direction, immediately powering up into a Super Saiyan. He couldn't be slow. Even if it was a trick, he couldn't let that stop him.

He came to a stop right at the source. It was in the middle of a street. Lying on the ground with his face in the pavement was a Saiyan man. Petrified and fearful, but still very much alive.

And standing on his back was a man all dressed in black. The only part of him that was visible was his eyes. He just stood there, staring at Vegeta, brandishing a weapon. Their eyes were locked, as they anticipated each other's next move.

"Vegeta, wait!"

Nappa flew down from above, and the murderer jumped into the air and fled.

"You're not getting away from me this time!" Vegeta powered up and flew after him.

He was hot on his trail, inching right behind him. The murderer bounced and jumped off of the walls, pushing himself forward. Vegeta kept going at a neck brake pace. The murderer kept glancing back, as he tried to escape. But Vegeta would not yield. This was his chance, and he wouldn't waste it.

With all of his might, he willed himself to move faster, going right on top of him. The murderer turned around just in time to block his oncoming fist. Vegeta blasted at him and he jumped out of the way. The ball of energy just missed him. A lucky move that he would not let him repeat.

He raised his hands into the air and the ki ballooned above him. He bent backwards and threw it towards his adversary. The murderer did not try to doge. He simply held out one hand and caught it.

"What," Vegeta exclaimed.

The murderer pulled his hand back and threw it back where it came. Vegeta moved his head, letting it explode behind him. No one had ever been able to handle an unstable ball of ki like that. What kind of power was this bastard hiding beneath those robes?

The murderer held his hands in the air and threw them towards the ground. A cloud of smoke and a flash of light erupted in front of them. Vegeta covered his face, blinded by the light.

When the dust cleared, he was gone.

"DAMN IT ALL!" Vegeta threw his hands down in frustration. His ki erupted around him, with flashes of yellow and gold flaming into the night sky. He almost had him, but that bastard pulled a fast one on him. What a coward. Running with his tail between his legs instead of fighting like a man.

"Vegeta! Stop!"

He was grabbed by his shoulders and turned around, shaken roughly. Nappa had managed to catch up. "You'll destroy the whole city! Calm down!"

Vegeta head butted him, forcing him to let go. "I almost had him, Nappa! We were this close to catching him and bringing him to justice! Don't you dare tell me to calm down!"

"Vegeta, listen to me! You getting yourself worked up won't make him return! If you blow yourself up now, we'll never get him! So will you please calm down?!"

Vegeta snarled and turned around. Still, he took a deep breath and powered down from his legendary form. He knew that Nappa was right, but he hated being lectured. Maybe nothing more could have been done at this point. Getting upset wouldn't solve it. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, in frustration.

"It isn't hopeless. We finally have another witness. We're one step closer to finding this coward and taking him down."

Vegeta scoffed. "I can't tell them more than what I saw. It's hardly groundbreaking."

"Not you, Vegeta – the victim."

He turned around. "What did you say?"

"He's still alive. You got to him before he was killed. The killer ran away without claiming another victim. You saved a life, tonight."

He hadn't even noticed. If this was true, then… then he did do some good, after all. Maybe there was still hope. "Where is he, now?"

"With the royal guards. We'll be questioning him, soon."

"Then we better go back, now."

Vegeta and Nappa left without another word.


	23. Chapter 23

Hey, before we get started, I have a quick question for you guys - how did you find out about this story - either this entry or the entire saga, in general? Were you just browsing, did you hear about it from a friend? I'm interested to hear. I am so out of the loop when it comes to DB fanfiction, so I'll be interested to see what's new. Oh well. Enjoy!

Oh, and I posted a chapter a couple of days ago, so make sure you read that one, too. Thanks!

* * *

When they had made it back to the palace, Vegeta and Nappa were quickly escorted into the science lab. Everyone was up and awake the moment the good news had been discovered. The king had been immediately alerted and had beaten them to the lab. He stood on the outside, looking into the lab from the outside window. He glanced at Vegeta and Nappa, when they walked up beside him.

Inside of the lab, the victim was being examined by the doctors. They were checking to make sure he was in good health, before they conducted the interrogation. If he were delirious from the encounter, it could mean faulty information. He was a tall Saiyan, with deep-set eyes and prominent cheekbones. He was scrawny, practically skin and bones, and he had a nervous look in his eyes. Whether that was from the attack, from his examination, or from his usual disposition had not been determined.

The king had his hand on his chin, stroking his beard. "Vegeta," he said, "I heard you encountered the killer. Did you get a good look at him?"

"It was just like what Bulma had said – all in black, seeing nothing but his eyes."

He nodded. "At least we know we're dealing with only one of them." He pointed his head at the victim. "Hopefully he'll know something else."

The lab door opened, and Haricot stepped out. "Your majesty," he said, as he handed him a portfolio. "Here's the information on the victim. You may proceed when ready."

"Thank you," he said, as he opened it. Vegeta and Nappa stood behind him, looking over his shoulders.

The man was a low class named Beets. He worked at the spaceport, tracking the incoming and outgoing pods that came to Planet Vegeta. He was a non-combatant with zero experience in the military or in any kind of fighting. There wasn't a single noteworthy accomplishment written in his records. All things considered, he was lucky to be alive.

"Nappa," the king said, "will you please stand outside of the door? I don't want anyone getting in, while we talk."

"Of course."

"Vegeta, I want you to watch, out here. This should be a good teaching moment."

Vegeta grunted, and his father entered the medbay. A nurse was still looking over Beets. When he saw the king, his back went straight as a board, and his eyes went as wide a saucers.

The king grabbed a stool and pulled it up next to the gurney. He sat down, clasping his hands together in his lap. "I hope you are feeling well, Beets."

He glanced around, nervously. "T-thank you, your majesty, but you don't have to ask-"

"Nonsense. Any of the people's worries are my worries, as well. And you needn't be so formal. You may talk to me like any other Saiyan."

Vegeta took mental notes, as he watched his father. He knew that others called foul, when he acted so casual among his subjects. Some say that allowed them to think that their king was no different from them and it undermined his power. The king disagreed – allowing them to think that their king was no different from them brought them closer. It showed that he believed that they were in this together and he cared about their needs, as well. Any notion of "it's better to be feared than loved" was preposterous.

"Alright, your majesty. I mean, sir! I mean… sorry."

The king chuckled. "It's quite alright. Now, Beets, do you think you can tell me what happened, tonight?"

Beets sighed, "I was going home, after my shift ended. I normally don't go alone, but my partner was home sick. I thought I'd take a shortcut, to make sure I wasn't out there for very long. I was walking as fast as I can. And then… I got tackled. I felt a really heavy boot on my back. I had thought it was someone trying to rough me up for money, again, but when I looked up – the guy was all dressed in black. He had this thing, this big knife in one of his hands. He grabbed me by my hair, and it seemed like he was ready to slit my throat. I just screamed, hoping someone would hear and come. That's when the prince showed up. In a few seconds, the guy had run away."

The king nodded. "I see. Did you say something about a weapon?"

"Yeah, it was huge. It was, like, this big." He pointed from his wrist to the crux of his elbow. "It looked sharp and clean, like it was brand new. Had he not shown up, I'd be a goner."

"Can you remember anything else about what he looked like?"

"No. I was too scared out of my wits to pay attention. Sorry, that isn't much help."

"Don't apologize, Beets. You've told us more than enough, already. We're just glad we managed to keep another Saiyan alive, tonight." The king lifted his hand to his chest and smirked at him.

Beets nodded, and repeated the gesture. "Thank you, your majesty."

The king patted his shoulder. "Rest for now. We'll see to it that you make it back, safely."

His father always seemed to know the right thing to say to a scared Saiyan. There was a reason the people loved him so. When it came down to it, he would be there for the everyman. The day he became king, Vegeta could only hope to be as good of a ruler as he.

The team of scientists listened in, as the king spoke. The knowledge that a weapon existed sparked their interest. There was something tangible that the killer used. If they could somehow manage to get their hands on it, they could track him down and finally find it. They hoped it would be soon – they were all growing tired of not having any results.

* * *

As the team convened back at the palace, Mizu and Okra snuck out and made it to the crime scene. They had felt that large commotion happening from their lab and set out to see what had happened. When they reached the site where the murder had almost taken place, no one was there guarding it.

"Alright," Okra said. "We can't stay long – they'll be back any minute. If you see anything, just grab it and we'll look it over back at the lab."

"Right," said Mizu.

They looked around the alleyway, behind every hidden nook, trying to find something. Mizu didn't know what they could be looking for, but she knew she had to keep her eyes peeled. For the tiniest shred of evidence that could lead them to the culprit. As the minutes ticked on, they couldn't find a single thing that would lead them there. Mizu's heart had begun to race. The clock was ticking and if they were caught breaking curfew and tampering with possible evidence, they'd be arrested.

"Hey," Okra said. Mizu turned around. "Check behind that dumpster, over there. I'll look over here."

Mizu nodded and ran to the other side of the alleyway, while Okra took her place. She got down onto her hands and knees to peak underneath it. When she didn't see anything, she got up and checked the side sitting against the wall.

Her eyes widened. "I think I found something!" She stuck her hand in between the cracks, stretching to reach the possible clue.

Okra walked up behind her. "What is it?"

"Hang on. I've almost… got it!" She pulled her arm out, grabbing onto something. It was a large dagger.

Okra put her hand on her chin. "It seems that you did. Good work, my pupil." She put her hand on her head and tossed her hair.

Mizu looked down, sheepishly. "Thank you, Okra."

"Now, let's get this back to the lab. We'll talk about it more, there."

With a renewed sense of hope that they were one-step closer to solving the case, Okra and Mizu quickly and quietly left the scene of the crime and snuck back into their hut. When the team at the palace investigated the scene just moments later, they found nothing, with no suspicion that someone had beaten them there.


	24. Chapter 24

Helllo there! Hope you all have been doing well. These are strange times, to be sure, so I hope I can give you something entertaining in the meanwhile. You all wanted to see the Earthlings train, so here you go. Thank you to everyone who's been leaving comments and telling me what you think. I read them all and I appreciate every single one of you. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Earth_

"Tien!"

Tien Shinhan ran up to Chiaotzu, kneeling down and hugging him. Mr. Popo was standing behind them, in the entryway of Tien's dojo. The Earth Warriors had split up to train on their own with their own master. Krillin and Yamcha were back on the lookout, the former with Korin and the latter with Kami. Eventually, they would rotate to the next trainer, allowing all of them to get as much experience as possible. Tien was surprised when Mr. Popo said they'd be heading back down to his dojo, but he did not complain – he missed seeing his best friend.

"I missed you so much," Chiaotzu said. "You've gotten really strong!"

"I missed you too, Chiaotzu. I wish you could have come up with me. We could have gotten stronger together."

"You can always teach me later!"

"That's true." Tien smiled, putting his hand on Chiaotzu's hat.

Mr. Popo stepped forward. "Actually, that's more relevant to today's training than you might think. I asked Chiaotzu if he could find you a pupil that would test your patience and talents. If you're able to teach them, then you'll gain better knowledge and understanding of your own skills."

Tien nodded. "That sounds smart." He wasn't one to back down from a challenge. He hadn't gotten many students in his dojo, yet, but he knew what made the difference between a good master and bad master. He could do this. "Who is it?"

A loud sneeze echoed from the other room.

The door slammed open, and a pair of combat boots stomped on the hard floor. Tien quickly found himself at the pointy end of a samurai sword. He was only distressed for a moment, before he saw who it was. Then, he was more annoyed than anything else.

"You better tell me how the hell I got here, or I'm gonna kill you!"

Chiaotzu flew next to her. "Launch! Calm down! It's us! That's just Tien!"

Launch blinked. She narrowed her eyes. "Tien Shinhan?"

Tien pushed the blade away from him, and sighed. "Good to see you too, Launch. What are you doing here?"He glanced at the others. "And where's my student?"

Mr. Popo chuckled, and Chiaotzu looked down, sheepishly. Tien looked back at Launch. It did not take him long to put two and two together. He had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes and groan.

Chiaotzu was practically sweating, as he frantically explained himself. "Mr. Popo said it should be someone who doesn't have a lot of martial arts training! And someone with problems with… composure! I thought she would be perfect!"

Tien closed his eyes. He was no longer looking forward to this exercise. It wasn't that he disliked Launch – he liked her like he did all of his other friends. But there was just something about her that unsettled him. It wasn't the personality swaps. It was just the way she looked at him: it made him feel uneasy. No matter what hints he tried to drop, she wouldn't pick up on the fact that he just wasn't interested. He had spent the last several years dodging her to avoid an inevitably awkward conversation. He hoped that she would finally get the idea.

"Perfect for what?" She crossed her arms over her chest, popping a hip to the side.

He sighed and opened his eyes. If this was what Mr. Popo wanted him to do, he might as well suck it up and do it. "I'll be teaching you one of my techniques, Launch. If you don't think you're up for it, you can back out now."

"Hell no! I can handle anything!" She picked the sword back up and swung it around haphazardly. She kept glancing at him, as if she was fishing for praise.

"Remember, Tien," Mr. Popo said, "A good warriors is always patient, no matter the situation." He left the room, and Chiaotzu followed behind. The door closed behind them, leaving Tien and Launch alone.

Tien caught the blade, and threw the sword into a wall. Launch jumped backwards, hands in front of her. "It takes a lot more than swinging around a weapon to make a good fighter," Tien said. He turned around, and unbuttoned his shirt, hanging it against a wall. He wrapped his wrists with gauze. "It takes discipline, restraint, and a calm temperament."

Launch was dazed, nodding along to his words. Her eyes were glued on his bare chest. "Yeah, I got plenty of that. Don't worry."

"We'll see." He threw the gauze at her, and she managed to catch it. "Wrap up your wrists like I did, and meet me in the corner. We'll get started then." He turned back around and leaned against a wall, waiting for her to continue.

Launch's face had grown red, and she pressed her lips together. "B-but wait! I-I don't think I can do this," she yelled in a sudden outburst. "M-maybe you can help me, too!"

He pushed himself off of the wall and went up to her, taking the gauze from her. He took one of her hands, and began tightly wrapping the gauze around her palm. He cut the end with his teeth, and closed it, before moving onto the next. He thought nothing of it until he noticed that she was staring at him, with that same look that unsettled him to his core.

This was going to be a long training exercise.

* * *

Krillin met up with Korin on his tower. He was so nervous. Master Korin was such a revered figure, and the land below his tower was sacred. Warriors from all over made the pilgrimage to the tower just for a chance to train with him. Few made it to the top, and fewer still walked away victorious. Yamcha and Tien had been doing awesome, but Krillin still felt stuck. He could be stronger, but he felt stagnant. It was as if every bad thing the others said at the Orin Temple was true. It didn't make him feel better about his new training. He just hoped he wouldn't disappoint.

Krillin bowed in front of him. "So what are we doing today, Master Korin?"

Korin lifted up a bottle. "This is the Sacred Water. Once you've drank it, it will give you more strength than you could ever imagine."

"That's awesome. So… what do I have to do?"

"All you have to do is take it from me. Do so and drink to your heart's content. Goku went through this very test, years ago. As did your old teacher."

"Master Roshi did this?! Wow…" Krillin stood still, star struck by the revelation. Not only did he have to compete with all the other warriors who tried this, but also with his best friend and his master? There was certainly no pressure to this.

He swallowed, and balled his hands into fists. "Okay! I'm ready."

Krillin ran towards Korin. Right as he was about to grab the bottle, Korin jumped up, knocking him in the head with his staff. Krillin let out an oof, rubbing his sore forehead. He lunged out towards him, but Korin slid underneath him, to the other side of the tower.

"Hey, over there," Krillin said, pointing at the wall. Korin looked there. Krillin raced to his side, only to be scratched in his arm. He hissed, as he stepped backwards.

Korin laughed, as he groomed himself. "It's going to take more than some cheap tricks to pull one over on me!"

He should have known better. He had hoped he could get this over with quickly, but Korin was too smart to fall for something like that. Krillin wasn't looking forward to the rest of this, but he couldn't give up, now. If Goku and Roshi could do this, then so could he.

* * *

Gohan's training had been going on for a week. He wasn't any closer to becoming a stronger fighter than he was, when he began. Something hadn't clicked for him, and he couldn't wrap his head around what he was supposed to do. He was growing frustrated, feeling like he was failing Piccolo and letting him down. If his dad saw how poor he was doing, he'd be disappointed to. Gohan tried to keep it hidden and push forward, but it was getting more and more difficult to do so every day.

He tried to brace himself, as Piccolo threw punches at him. His hands were above his head, blocking the incoming attacks. He was getting tired, having been at this for several minutes. One hit made him lose his balance, and he fell backwards, barely regaining his footing.

Piccolo hit him again, to make sure he knew what it meant when he didn't block an attack, jabbing him in the stomach. The hit was hard enough to hurt, but not enough to seriously bruise or injure him. Gohan fell forward, catching himself before his stomach hit the ground. He sat on his hands and knees, his head hanging low.

"When you catch your breath, get up and start blocking again," Piccolo said.

If he were training anyone else, he wouldn't give them a chance to breathe: it taught a valuable lesson about pacing oneself in a battle. But Gohan was such a novice that he needed the extra seconds. He didn't see any sense in leaving him completely untrained for this long. He hadn't even known the basics of self-defense. If something happened when he was older, he wouldn't have stood a chance. Once this android crap was over, he'd be having a serious talk with Chi-Chi about this.

Even as he started breathing normally, Gohan didn't get up. He was still sitting on the ground.

Piccolo glanced up. "We're losing daylight, Gohan. You need to get up."

He still refused.

When he was about to reprimand him again, he saw two dark spots on the dirt below him. Gohan was beginning to shake, and he could hear him sniffling. Piccolo didn't curse or sigh. He just knelt down in front of him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Gohan crawled into Piccolo's lap and huddled into his chest. He grabbed onto his clothes and cried his little heart out. Piccolo sat there, allowing him to let it all out. He was expecting an outburst or a meltdown of some sorts, eventually. He could tell how frustrated he was becoming, over his lack of progress. He had hoped it would have waited until Goku started training him, though – he was better at handling Gohan's emotions.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Piccolo," Gohan said, sniffling. "I-I can't do this. I'm not strong like you and dad. I'm sorry I'm letting you down."

Piccolo looked down. That was what this was about? He was scared that he was letting him down? Now, he really wished Goku were here, instead. He had never been good at saying things to make people feel better – at lending out comforting or reassuring words. Gohan was such a sensitive little boy, too. The wrong words would only make things worse. He didn't know what to do.

"I never expected you to be. You're still learning."

Gohan sniffed, and wiped at his eyes, with his fist, looking up at Piccolo.

"This is why your father and I agreed to this, in the first place. You're learning. I'm not going to lie to you – it will take a while for you to master much. When you were first learning algebra, did you understand everything?" Gohan shook his head. "This is exactly like that. Just because you don't understand now doesn't mean you won't, later. I want you to start thinking of training like that. You've got that?"

"O-okay. I-I just don't want to let you down."

"I know you won't."

Gohan hugged him, again. "I love you, Mr. Piccolo."

Piccolo's heart skipped a beat. He stared down, slack-jawed at his open display of affection. He heard him say 'I love you' a lot to Goku and Chi-Chi, but never to him. Of course, he never doubted that Gohan loved him, but to hear it out loud… his stomach was doing flips.

"You too, Gohan." Gohan squeezed him tighter, after hearing it. "Now, stop your crying and let's get back to training. Okay?"

Gohan was beaming, as he stepped back. Tears were still in his eyes, but he was much perkier, now. Piccolo smirked. He had a feeling things would start taking a turn for the better, now.


End file.
